HABITAT HISTORY

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INTERNATIONAL

In 1965, Millard Fuller was a self-made millionaire at the age of 29. He was a lawyer and an entrepreneur and made his millions by forming a direct-marketing company that sold cookbooks and candy to high school chapters of the Future Homemakers of America. While his finances were flourishing, his marriage was failing. His wife Linda came to him one day and said she was preparing to leave their marriage. She didn’t believe their lifestyle was the way the Lord intended them to be living; their health was failing and so was their marriage. Millard divested himself of his wealth and gave everything he owned to the poor. The Fullers, looking for a life dedicated to Christian service, visited the Koinonia Farm outside of Americus, . The farm was a small, interracial, Christian farming community founded in 1942 by farmer and bible scholar . Jordan and Fuller developed the concept of "partnership housing" -- where those in need of adequate shelter would work side by side with volunteers to build simple, decent houses. The houses would be built with no profit added and no interest charged. Building would be financed by a revolving Fund for Humanity. The fund's money would come from the new homeowners' house payments, donations and no-interest loans provided by supporters and money earned by fund- raising 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 was begun. In 1969, the first home in Georgia was completed using this method. In 1973, the Fullers moved to Zaire to apply this model to developing countries. The Fullers spent three years working on the project, housing a total of 2,000 people.

The Fuller family returned in 1976 to start up Habitat for Humanity. Millard needed a big name to back his Christian housing ministry. He invited himself to have dinner with President Carter at the White House. Carter refused to have this unknown man in the White House. Millard was very persistent and continued sending invitations to the White House. President Carter agreed to have Millard over for dinner, but told his wife Rosalynn he would not get involved in what this man had to say. The rest, they say, is history. Millard returned to Georgia and began growing Habitat for Humanity’s model around the country. In 1984, President Carter joined Millard in Habitat’s mission by starting the Work Project. President Carter remains Habitat’s most well known volunteer.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF LEE AND HENDRY COUNTIES

Habitat for Humanity of Lee County, Inc. began with the Lee County Mission Board. Supported by area places of worship, this non-profit group ministered to needy families in Lee County. The Mission Board focused its efforts in Harlem Heights, a run-down, neglected former migrant worker housing area in the southern part of Lee County (located between the present-day Gulf Harbor and HealthPark medical complex).

In the late 1970s, the Mission Board was instrumental in securing a federal housing grant that resulted in the construction of some 40 homes in Harlem Heights. Funding ended in 1979 and no other federal grants were approved. Mission Board members Ed Campbell and his wife, Dorothy, told the Board about the fledgling housing ministry called Habitat for Humanity, which Millard Fuller had founded in 1976 in Americus, Georgia. The Campbells had become familiar with the organization after visiting a building site in nearby Collier County.

In 1979, the mission board invited Millard Fuller to Lee County to share his housing ministry idea. Millard flew to Fort Myers and told the mission board this:

“To start a Habitat affiliate, you need to get a piece of plywood, paint it white and write the words Habitat for Humanity on it. Erect this sign in the ground outside the piece of property you plan to build the house on. Start digging a trench on this land as if you were to pour a foundation for the home, but don’t actually pour the concrete, just dig the trench. Once you have the trench dug, fill it all back in and dig it again, fill it back in and dig it again.” The mission board thought ‘what on earth are you talking about? We want to build homes, not dig in the dirt’. But the mission board did as they were told. A couple weeks went by and a man in a red pickup stopped by and said, ‘I drive by here everyday and I see you doing the same thing day in and day out. What are you doing?’ The group pointed to the sign and said Habitat for Humanity, ‘we’re building homes for people who cannot afford a safe and decent place to live.’ This gentleman was a contractor and ended up funding the first two homes in Lee County as well as provided all the labor for the construction.

The Mission Board appointed a Habitat for Humanity Administrative Committee and launched a fundraising campaign. When the Lee County Commission donated land in Harlem Heights, the Administrative Committee invited Millard Fuller to speak at the groundbreaking ceremony. With Ed Campbell as project director, Habitat for Humanity of Lee County housed its first family in its new home by Christmas 1980.

In addition to Ed and Dorothy Campbell, other leaders of the Mission Board included Duera Mae Everett, a highly regarded activist and Harlem Heights resident, along with Reverend Ben Zaglaniczy and Ida Rodriguez.

Habitat for Humanity of Lee County was granted a charter in October 1982, one of the first affiliates of Habitat for Humanity International.

In 2011 the organization officially changed its name to reflect the fact that it had served families in Hendry County for many years. The name was revised to Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties, Inc.

Affiliate Milestones

February 23, 1980 - Habitat for Humanity breaks ground on first Lee County home in Harlem Heights.

October 1982 - Habitat for Humanity of Lee County receives its charter to be an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International.

By 1987, 21 homes were completed and occupied in Harlem Heights. Building expanded from Harlem Heights to include many other areas of Lee County, including Sabal Palms, Pine Manor, Dunbar, Alva, North Fort Myers, Lehigh Acres, Cape Coral and Bonita Springs.

May 1990 - Vern Archibald is appointed the first Executive Director for Habitat for Humanity of Lee County.

In 1993, Habitat for Humanity opened a small storage area to assist homeowners with used furniture for their new homes. Habitat supporters were so generous that the resale shop was soon opened to the public. As of 2010, the store has grown to a 26,000 sq. ft. facility in N. Ft. Myers, which is the largest thrift store in Lee County. All profits from the ReStore Retail & Donation Centers fund our affordable homeownership program.

In March 1995, Habitat for Humanity dedicated its 100th home. The week of that dedication was proclaimed Habitat for Humanity Week in Lee County and the City of Fort Myers. President Clinton sent a letter of congratulations.

Land located in Dunbar was purchased in 1995 for the extensive subdivision called Habitat Beecher Village. This neighborhood of 73 homes was begun in October 1998 and completed in 2000.

1999 - Habitat for Humanity of Lee County expands its mission to Hendry County.

In late 2000, Habitat for Humanity of Lee County built its construction warehouse at its current location in North Fort Myers. It was originally designed to store materials in bulk to take advantage of discount pricing. Volunteers recognized that the organization could streamline its bricks-and-sticks method of building homes on site by creating a wall-assembly unit in the warehouse. In 2001, volunteers finished the wall-assembly system, which consists of template tables where volunteers build the exterior walls of each home. Walls of Habitat homes are constructed in this warehouse, strapped and stored in a lumber hanger, and transported to worksites where onsite volunteers complete a wall-raising. This system gave Habitat a boost in house production from 40 homes a year to more than 80.

In January 2004, Habitat for of Lee County dedicated its 500th home.

In November 2004, Habitat for Humanity of Lee County broke ground on its landmark senior housing complex located near its office in North Fort Myers. In July 2006, the ten 6-unit buildings were completed with all new appliances and handicapped accessibility for tenants. The project was a first-of-its-kind idea for any Habitat affiliate to take on. The concept was to provide decent, affordable rental units for low income senior citizens.

March 2006 - Habitat for Humanity of Lee County receives the “Affiliate of the Year” award from Habitat International.

Also in March 2006, Habitat for Humanity of Lee County was awarded the Sam Mompongo Award for its tithing efforts. Lee County’s Habitat affiliate tithes 10 percent of every mortgage dollar paid by the homeowners for their homes. That tithe goes to Habitat International to be used for building homes overseas. Habitat for Humanity of Lee County gave more than a million dollars in tithe which paid for the construction of 500 homes overseas in 2006.

Habitat built 131 housing units in 2006.

2007 - Habitat for Humanity of Lee County is named the second largest affiliate in the country for production and celebrated 25 years in the community.

2007 - The Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. awarded Habitat for Humanity of Lee County with the “Excellence in Construction” trophy for the innovation of Habitat’s Senior Housing Complex located in North Fort Myers.

2008 - The recession begins to affect Habitat homeowners as well as the rest of Southwest Florida, and some give up their homes as they move out of the area in search of work. Habitat “recycles” those homes, completely rehabbing the interior and exterior, and reselling them to qualifying families. In 2009 and 2010, it becomes clear that rehabbing existing housing stock is a far more economical use of funds than building new, and the majority of homes sold are rehabilitated existing homes. This has the added benefit of helping to stabilize hard-hit neighborhoods.

March 14, 2009 – Habitat for Humanity of Lee County raises the walls on its 1000th home.

February 2010 – President and CEO Vern Archibald retires after 20 years of service to the organization, and Katherine Green is named as his successor.

2011 - The organization officially changed its name to reflect the fact that it had served families in Hendry County for many years. The name was revised to Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties, Inc.

During the 2010-2011 fiscal year, Habitat turned the keys over to 70 families, each of whom moved into an existing home renovated to be like new.

2012 – In January, the affiliate opens its second ReStore location, in Bonita Springs, complementing the original store in N. Ft. Myers.

Six new construction and 48 rehabbed homes were provided to new homeowners during the fiscal year.

On Oct. 8, 2012, the affiliate marks the official 30th anniversary of its charter.

2013 – This year the affiliate created a five-year strategic plan aligned with Habitat Internationals. The plan has our affiliate serving 310 families per year by 2018, through a combination of homeownership, home repairs, and homeownership counseling.

2014 – On July 19, 2014 the affiliate opened its third ReStore Retail and Donation Center in South Fort Myers with shoppers lined up outside to welcome the new store.

Net proceeds from the three ReStore Retail and Donation Centers amounted to the equivalent of eleven home sponsorships in fiscal year 2014-2015, the most in the affiliate’s history.

During fiscal year 2014-2015 the affiliate rehabbed 32 homes and built 23 new homes, and completed 7 home repairs.

2016- The highest amount of volunteer hours was recorded with 7,817 volunteers donating 74,750 hours of service.

During fiscal year 2016-2017, Habitat received a $1 million bequest from the Francis Prigmore Trust.

2017- Habitat of Lee and Hendry Counties was named the #1 tithing affiliate in the nation for our market size. Our affiliate completed and dedicated our 1,500th home.

2018 - Responding to the effects of Hurricane Irma, our affiliate created the Disaster Recovery Program. A total of 109 repairs were completed, 99 of which were for families directly impacted by Irma. We experienced our highest number of major donors, as well as our most successful year for the ReStores in affiliate history. Our affiliate became a HUD approved counseling agency, as well as closed on 64 homes.