Habitat for Humanity of Washington County Announces Upcoming Orientation

CHIPLEY, FL – March 27, 2009   Habitat for Humanity of Washington County will be having a mandatory orientation meeting on April 16, 2009 at 5 pm at The First United Methodist Church located on Highway 90 in Chipley for anyone interested in applying for Washington County’s sixth home.

HFH of Washington County is a locally run affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing organization. HFHI seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. Through volunteer labor and donations of money and materials, Habitat builds simple, decent houses with the help of the homeowner (partner) families.

Habitat is not a giveaway program. Habitat houses are sold to partner families at no profit and financed with affordable loans. The homeowners’ monthly mortgage payments are used to build still more Habitat houses.

In addition to a down payment and the monthly mortgage payments, homeowners invest hundreds of hours of their own labor — sweat equity — into building their Habitat house and the houses of others.  Families may be considered for a Habitat home if the present housing is not adequate, and if the family is unable to obtain adequate housing through conventional means. Since the selected family will be actually buying the home from Habitat, the family must demonstrate ability to pay the monthly mortgage payment.  To become a “partner family” 500 hours of (sweat equity) must be completed before the completion of the home.

For more information contact Rebecca Harris at 638-8376, Ayshia Hatcher at 638-4555, or the Habitat Thrift Store located on Main Street in Chipley at 415-5600.