As an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, Habitat for Humanity of Frederick County’s mission is bring people together to build homes, communities and hope. Our vision is a world where everyone has a decent place to live.
HISTORY
Church Women United founded the Frederick chapter in 1993 after seeing the need for affordable housing in the area. Since its inception in 1993, Habitat for Humanity of Frederick County has partnered with local families, churches, businesses, donors, and volunteers to help 31 families achieve their dream of homeownership in Frederick.
In the fall of 1995, Habitat dedicated its first home on South Bentz Street in Frederick. Sixteen years later, in December 2011, a family moved into their new home in Frederick, the 31st Habitat home built in Frederick County. Homes have been built or renovated for 116 people in Adamstown, Buckeystown, Brunswick, Emmitsburg, Frederick, Middletown, Thurmont and Walkersville.
In 2005, 2006 and 2007, Habitat for Humanity of Frederick County, MD was recognized as one of the top tithing Habitat affiliates in the country. We tithe of the nondesignated funds we raise to Habitat-Mexico. Our contributions to date have funded the building of 46 homes in Mexico. Additionally, the affiliate sponsors two mission trips a year to disaster impacted areas including the Gulf Coast and tornado ravaged Alabama.
Started in 2009, our A Brush With Kindness program preserved 12 homes to help families to stay in their current affordable housing. Twelve seniors and 3 children are included in the 26 people assisted.
In December of 2011, the Frederick Habitat Board of Directors voted to become a Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative affiliate of Habitat for Humanity. The first project is on east 7th Street in Frederick in conjuction with two homes being built at 20 and 22 W. 7th Street. The selected neighborhood has over 100 homes and the project is projected to last 3 years.
PROGRAMS
Home Ownership
The Home Ownership program partners with families in need of affordable housing within Frederick County. A selected family contributes 300 to 500 hours of "sweat equity" helping to build or renovate their home, taking home ownership classes, and volunteering for Habitat or in the community. Habitat leverages volunteer labor and donations of money and materials to build or renovate the home at a lower cost. The family then pays a 0% equivalent mortgage for the value and cost of building/renovating their home. For more information, please visit our website at www.frederickhabitat.org.
Neighborhood Revitalization Inititative
Frederick Habitat can be a catalyst to realize a neighborhood's shared vision. Working with the residents in a selected neighborhood, Habitat offers an expanded array of housing services (including A Brush With Kindness) and develops partnerships with other organizations and groups to respond to various community needs based on the quality of life that the residents wish to achieve and sustain.
Habitat ReStore
The Habitat ReStore sells donated furniture and home improvement items at a fraction of retail cost and keeps hundreds of tons of building materials and home improvement items out of local landfills by providing a donation site. These materials have been sold to provide enough funding to build two Habitat homes, while helping the local community to improve their homes with low-cost materials.
CURRENT PROJECTS
Our current projects include two homes on 7th Street, Frederick; one single family home and 4 condos in Thurmont; one single family home in Brunswick, and a neighborhood revitalization project on 7th Street in Frederick.
WE NEED YOU!
Habitat depends on volunteers, who serve on the Board of Directors and standing committees, help staff the office and ReStore, and assist in building or renovating the homes. Habitat relies on our community of partners of individuals, churches, and businesses for financial support.
Please give and partner with us in an effort to provide a "hand up and not a hand out" to residents of Frederick County!
