About HFH

Meet Boise Valley Habitat for Humanity.

Our Vision

A decent and affordable home for everyone in Ada County.

Our Mission Statement

Boise Valley Habitat for Humanity works in partnership with God and our community to provide decent, affordable homes and to promote responsible homeownership for people in need.

All Are Welcome

Habitat for Humanity has an open-door policy: All who believe that everyone needs a decent, affordable place to live are welcome to help with the work, regardless of race, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, political views, or any of the other distinctions that too often divide people. In short, Habitat welcomes volunteers and supporters from all backgrounds and also serves people in need of decent housing regardless of race or religion.

As a matter of policy, Habitat for Humanity International and its affiliated organizations do not proselytize. This means that Habitat will not offer assistance on the expressed or implied condition that people must either adhere to or convert to a particular faith or listen and respond to messaging designed to induce conversion to a particular faith.

About Boise Valley Habitat for Humanity

Founded in 1990, Boise Valley Habitat for Humanity is one of over 2,000 affiliates of Habitat for Humanity International. We are a nonprofit, ecumenical, Christian housing organization committed to helping hard-working Idaho families construct and finance a home of their own.

Boise Valley Habitat for Humanity builds simple, decent, affordable homes in partnership with volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We all work in support of families who invest hundreds of Partnership Hours in preparation for successful homeownership.

About Habitat for Humanity International

Founded in Americus, Georgia, USA, in 1976, Habitat for Humanity today operates around the globe. It has helped build, renovate, and repair more than 600,000 decent, affordable houses sheltering for more than 3 million people worldwide. www.habitat.org

History of Habitat for Humanity

Millard & Linda Fuller, the Founders

Habitat for Humanity International was founded in 1976 by Millard and Linda Fuller. Today, Habitat for Humanity is a true world leader in addressing the issues of poverty housing.

The concept that grew into Habitat for Humanity International was born at Koinonia Farm, a small, interracial, Christian community outside of Americus, Georgia. Koinonia Farm was founded in 1942 by the farmer and biblical scholar Clarence Jordan. The Fullers first visited Koinonia in 1965. They had recently left a successful business and an affluent lifestyle in Montgomery, Alabama, to begin a new life of Christian service.

At Koinonia, Jordan and Fuller developed the concept of Partnership Housing. The concept centered on those in need of adequate shelter working side by side with volunteers to build simple, decent houses.

The houses would be built at no profit, and interest would not be charged on the loans. Building costs would be financed by a revolving fund called “The Fund for Humanity.”

The fund’s money would come from the new homeowners’ house payments, no-interest loans provided by supporters, and money earned by fundraising activities. The monies in the Fund for Humanity would be used to build more houses.

In 1968, Koinonia laid out 42 half-acre house sites with four acres reserved as a community park and recreational area. Capital was donated from around the country to start the work.

Homes were built and sold to families in need at no profit and no interest. The basic model of Habitat for Humanity was built.

In 1973, the Fullers decided to apply the Fund for Humanity concept in developing countries. The Fuller family moved to Mbandaka, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo.) The Fullers’ goal was to offer affordable yet adequate shelter to 2,000 people. After three years of hard work to launch a successful house-building program, the Fullers returned to the United States.

In September 1976, Millard and Linda called together a group of supporters to discuss the future of their dream. Habitat for Humanity International as an organization was born at this meeting. The eight years that followed, vividly described in Millard Fuller’s book, “Love in the Mortar Joints,” proved that the vision of a housing ministry was workable. Faith, hard work, and direction set HFHI on its successful course.

In 1984, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn took their first Habitat work trip, the Jimmy Carter Work Project, to New York City. Their personal involvement in Habitat’s ministry brought the organization national visibility and sparked interest in Habitat’s work across the nation. HFHI experienced a dramatic increase in the number of new affiliates around the country.

Through the work of Habitat, thousands of low-income families have found new hope in the form of affordable housing. Churches, community groups, and others have joined together to successfully tackle a significant social problem - decent housing for all.

Today, Habitat has helped build or repair more than 600,000 houses and served more than 3 million people around the world.