Habitat's Mission

• a grassroots Christian nonprofit organization dedicated to the elimination of poverty and substandard housing worldwide.
  
• believes that every person deserves a simple and decent place in which to live and grow into all that God intends for them to be
  
• builds houses in partnership with families who qualify for home-ownership based on three criteria: need, a willingness to partner with HFH and an ability to repay a no-interest mortgage
  
• works with people of all faiths and people of no faith
  
• sells its houses at no profit, with no interest charged
  
• has helped more than 9.8 million people meet their affordable housing needs worldwide since 1976

 
History of Habitat for Humanity of Taos, Inc.
HFHT is a non-profit NM organization working to provide affordable housing for low-income families in Taos County. Our goal is to reduce the number of families living in substandard housing in our county. HFHT was incorporated in 1993 and began building its first two houses in 1994. It has built 31 homes to date, and is currently working on home #32, 33 and 34.  
 
History of Habitat for Humanity International
Founded in 1976 by Millard and Linda Fuller, Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry dedicated to eliminating substandard housing and homelessness worldwide and to making adequate, affordable shelter a matter of conscience and action. Habitat invites people from all faiths and walks of life to work together in partnership, building houses with families in need.
 
How We Do it
Through volunteer labor and tax-deductible donations of money and materials, Habitat builds and rehabilitates simple, decent houses with the help of the home buying partner families. Habitat houses are sold to home buying partner families at no profit, financed with affordable, no-interest loans. The homeowners' monthly mortgage payments are recycled into a revolving Fund for HFHT that is used to build more houses.  We raise 100% of our own funds and are not funded by Habitat for Humanity International.
 
To learn some of the many Misconceptions about Habitat for Humanity of Taos affiliate, click here.
 
Family Selection
Whether in the U.S. or overseas, families in need apply to local Habitat affiliates. Our Family Selection Committee considers applicants' level of need, their willingness to become partners in the Habitat program and their ability to repay the no-interest loan. Every affiliate follows a nondiscriminatory policy of family selection. Neither race nor religion is a factor in choosing Habitat homeowner families.
 
If your family, or a family you know, is in need of decent, affordable housing, please check our Apply for a Home page for information on the availability, size, costs, and sweat equity requirements for Habitat houses in our area, as well as information on the application process.
 
Habitat is a grass-roots movement. Concerned citizens from all walks of life come together as volunteers to form each affiliate in their community. Fundraising, house construction, family selection and other key decisions are carried out by the local affiliates. HFHI headquarters, located in Americus, GA, provides information, training, support and other services to Habitat affiliates worldwide.
 
Donations
Donations are used as designated by the donor. Gifts received by us that are designated to a specific building project are forwarded to that project. Any un-designated gifts are used where most needed. Our most recent audited financial statement is available upon request.
 
Management
Our board of directors determines policy and monitors operations in conjunction with a board of advisers. Board members are dedicated volunteers who are deeply concerned about the problems of poverty housing in our community. We operate with an small administrative staff and support employees and at times supplemented by volunteers.
 
Government Support
Habitat does not accept government funds for the construction of new houses or for the renovation or repair of existing houses. Occasionally, we accept government funds for "stage-setting" infrastructure needs (streets, sewers, etc.) , or for the acquisition of land, so long as the funds have no strings attached that would violate Habitat's principles.