Mission Statement - Habitat for Humanity - Detroit

Habitat for Humanity Detroit (Habitat Detroit) is a non-profit, ecumenical Christian-based, housing ministry that provides low-income, working families the opportunity to purchase modest, affordable housing in which to raise their families.

Important Milestones

• Affiliate founded by Fred and Ellen Schippert.



• Purchased our first three houses for $1.00 each. Work begins on renovating houses on the east side.



• Thomas family moves into the first Habitat Detroit renovated home.



• One of several nonprofits to receive proceeds from Christmas Light Show at Domino Farms. Donation was large enough to enable the rehabilitation of one house.



• Work expands to west side of Detroit.



• First Habitat for Humanity Detroit Work-A-Thon.



• Lutheran Brotherhood becomes first Adopt-A-House participant.



• Archer/McNamera Blitz Build - Over 1000 volunteers build 15 new homes in five days in the Westwood Park neighborhood.



• Archer/McNamera Blitz Build - twenty additional new homes built in Westwood Park neighborhood in six days.



• Oprah Winfrey House is first house built in the Creekside neighborhood on east side of Detroit



• ROCC Build - constructed eight new homes in Creekside.



• Nine new homes built in the Creekside neighborhood, including two "First Ladies Build" homes.



• Nine homes started in late 2000 completed in early 2001.



• Announced the Tri-Centennial Village project in Core City Neighborhoods.



• Celebrated our 15th anniversary!



• Dedication of the 100th Habitat for Humanity Detroit home.



• Dedication of the Taylor home, the 2000th Habitat for Humanity home built in Michigan, by Millard Fuller, founder of Habitat for Humanity International.



• Blitz Build '03 - sixteen new homes built in Tri-Centennial Village as part of Habitat Detroit's celebration of Building on Faith.



• Habitat for Humanity International announces Detroit selected as a host site for the 22nd annual Jimmy Carter Work Project to be held June 2005.



• Honored with 2003 Affiliate of the Year award.



• Blitz Build '04 - five new homes built on Jane Street in one week; the first residential construction in northeast Detroit in 30 years.



• Jimmy Carter Work Project 2005 - led by former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn, over 1500 volunteers gather in southwest Detroit to build 30 homes in one week.



• Habitat Detroit partnered with Oakland and Macomb Counties for the SuperBuild, which was a lead-up event to Super Bowl XL, and where 40 wall sets were constructed and sent to three Texas affiliates to be built permanently for hurricane evacuees. Five new homes were built during the Home Builders Blitz. We also started construction in Morning Side Commons, an eastside neighborhood, in partnership with U-SNAP-BAC, a non-profit, community development corporation to revitalize the neighborhood. Habitat Detroit kicked off their commitment with a 12 house Blitz Build in September.



• Habitat Detroit conducted its annual Blitz Build in June with the construction of 12 houses.



• A memorable year in the construction of Habitat homes. Every house that Habitat Detroit built was Energy Star Certified. In addition, Green Build construction techniques were incorporated to lesson the impact of construction on our environment. This ensures the house is providing a very healthy living environment with air quality standards. All houses met strict testing guidelines that resulted in their Michigan Green Build Certification. The year topped off with a 7 house blitz in September.

Vision 2020

Vision 2020 is one of several programs across Michigan created to help strengthen local neighborhoods. Its mission is to develop local revitalization plans to transform targeted neighborhoods by eliminating substandard housing and its causes by the year 2020. In the fall of 2005, Habitat for Humanity Detroit and U-SNAP-BAC Non-profit Housing entered into a unique partnership to revitalize the 16-block Morning Side Commons neighborhood on Detroit's east side. Other partners in this effort were the Morning Side Community Organization, Christ United Methodist Church, and the City of Detroit.

The Vision 2020 initiative has four major goals:

• Enhance the economic and cultural vitality of the neighborhood/community environment.

• Develop residents' capacity for effective local governance.

• Eliminate substandard housing and improve the neighborhood's physical conditions.

• Increase collaboration and exposure within the neighborhood to the services available from community organizations.