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Dec 26

Giving the Gift of a Holiday Home

by Mary Teresa Fowler
The Gift of Holiday Home

Only a minority of gift-givers have sufficient financial resources to give the gift of a home during this holiday season. An increasing number of family and friends, however, are helping first-time home buyers (and other potential home owners) with financing. People who step in to help loved ones with financing for homes are known as "angel investors." This term seems especially appropriate for investors who help relatives get into a home for the holidays. The expiry of the Federal First-Time Home Buyers' Credit, as well as the recent economic downturn, has caused more people to become "angel investors."

Habitat for Humanity

Yet in addition to affluent gift-givers and angel investors, a large percentage of the population are helping families receive the gift of a home. Internationally, people are supporting Habitat for Humanity – either through donations or with physical labor. Habitat For Humanity International (HFHI) (referred to usually as Habitat for Humanity or Habitat) has offices in five major areas around the world. They operate in the US and Canada, Europe and Central Asia (Bratislava, Slovakia); Latin America and the Caribbean (San Jose, Costa Rica), Africa and the Middle East (in Pretoria, South Africa), as well as Asia-Pacific (Bangkok, Thailand).

The operations of the organization in each main area are managed by a national office. Community Habitat offices act as partners with Habitat for Humanity International. The national and local offices handle the selection of the building site and partner family, fundraising, house construction, and mortgage servicing.

Habitat is a non-governmental and non-profit organization devoted to building affordable housing for people who need a helping hand. The homes are built with volunteer labor and are not sold for profit. Guidelines for the program may vary slightly around the world. For example, certain locations outside the US charge interest as a measure of protection against inflation.

Habitat for Humanity is a prestigious organization. In 1984, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, and his wife Rosalynn Carter, got involved in Habitat and greatly raised the organization's profile. In 1996, U.S. President Bill Clinton awarded its founder, Millard Fuller, the nation’s highest civilian honor.

By 2010, Habitat for Humanity had built more than 350,000 houses providing shelter for over 1.75 million people in more than 5 continents and 3,000 communities worldwide. The organization does not just provide a handout. The program offers assistance but allows recipients to maintain their dignity and play an active part in the process.

Usually, new homeowners are expected to put 'sweat equity' into their own or other Habitat homes .Any mortgage payments from homeowners are deposited into a locally-administered "Fund for Humanity." The proceeds go towards future construction.

Holiday Homes

Nothing could be better than giving or receiving a holiday home. Remember that you can donate your money, time, or effort to a local project .Read about a few of the latest new Habitat home owners during this 2010 holiday season.

Habitat finishes two homes just in time for Christmas

Habitat delivers holiday home

Family gets new home for holiday

Have You Ever Helped Or Benefited From The Habitat Program?

Image courtesy of orangehabitat.org

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