Habitat for Humanity of Putnam County, New York
Contact information
Habitat for Humanity of Putnam County
PO Box 781
Brewster, NY 10509-0781
Phone: (845) 230-8022
Email: info@HabitatPutnam.org
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Habitat for Humanity of Putnam County?
How does it work?
What do we do?
How are homeowners selected?
What is Habitat for Humanity of Putnam County?
Habitat for Humanity of Putnam County is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, the not-for-profit, ecumenical Christian housing minsitry. HFH of Putnam is an organization of volunteers who seek to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness throughout Putnam County, and to make decent, affordable shelter a matter of conscience and public action. Habitat invites people from all walks of life to work together in partnership to build houses with families in need. Habitat's Putnam County affiliate is one of over 1000 active affiliates in all 50 U.S states.
How does it work?
Through volunteer labor and tax-deductible donations of money and materials, Habitat builds and rehabilitates simple, decent houses with the help of homeowner (partner) families. Habitat houses are sold to partner families at no profit, financed with affordable, no-interest loans. The homeowners' monthly mortgage payments go into a revolving fund that is used to build more houses. Habitat is not a give-away program. In addition to a down payment and the monthly mortgage payments, each homeowner family invests hundreds of hours of their own labor --sweat equity -- into the building of their house and/or the houses of others.
What do we do?
- Affiliates work locally in communities to select and support homeowners, organize volunteers and coordinate housebuilding.
- Sales of completed houses help fund successive projects keeping our mission moving forward.
- Individuals, corporations, faith groups and others provide volunteer labor and tax deductable donations of money and materials.
- Homeowner and volunteers build the houses under trained supervision.
- Other activities include "Brush with Kindness" a new program where volunteers help seniors paint their homes, take on simple construction projects and increase the quality of the housing stock that already exists for local families.
How are homeowners selected?
Every affiliate follows a non-discriminatory policy of family selection. Neither race nor religion is a factor in choosing the families that receive Habitat Houses. Families apply to the Habitat affiliate and a selection committee chooses prospective homeowners based on:
- Need for housing
- Ability to repay mortgage; selected families must qualify for and carry a low cost mortgage.
- Willingness to become partners in the program and invest hundreds of hours of their own labor.