Historic Gift to Habitat for Humanity

The housing market may be sputtering, but Habitat for Humanity International is getting a $100 million jolt. The nonprofit group tells The Associated Press the gift from J. Ronald Terwilliger will help it build 60,000 homes worldwide. It's the largest individual contribution in Habitat's history. Terwilliger, an Atlanta-based developer, says he hopes it will offer the world's neediest more access to decent, affordable homes. He says he also wanted to "inspire others to make the commitment to support affordable housing." The gift is one of the largest in recent years to a group devoted to social services, according to the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. A center official called it "remarkable."

(Associated Press)

Habitat for Humanity Cuts Workers

Habitat for Humanity International has eliminated about 10 percent of its staff to reduce its operating costs to better weather the economic downturn. The organization says in a statement that 73 jobs were cut Tuesday. Habitat for Humanity is based in Americus, in southwest Georgia.


(Associated Press)

Habitat for Humanity Co-founder Dies

Habitat for Humanity co-founder Millard Fuller has died. He was 74.

Fuller's wife, Linda, says Fuller died about 3 a.m. Tuesday after visiting a Georgia hospital, but she says the cause of death is unknown.

Linda Fuller says her husband had complained of chest pains, headache and that his throat was tightening up. She says she took him to an emergency room in Americus in south Georgia, and he was being taken to another hospital in Albany, Ga., about 35 miles away, when he died.

Former President Jimmy Carter issued a statement calling Fuller "one of the most extraordinary people I have ever known."

After running Habitat with his wife for nearly three decades, Fuller lost control of the charity in a conflict with the organization's board.

According to the Fuller Center for Housing's website, Fuller will be buried at Koinonia Farms in Americus, Ga.

Click here for more GPB News coverage about Habitat for Humanity.

(AP)

Housing charity benefits from foreclosure crisis

The foreclosure crisis means cheap properties for sale in communities around the country. The Georgia based housing charity called Habitat for Humanity has seized the opportunity. Some chapters have been buying up the properties, putting new families in the abandoned homes.

Home Depot and Habitat for Humanity "go green"

Two Georgia-based companies are joining forces to go green. The Foundation for Atlanta-based home improvement giant Home Depot is giving $30-million dollars to Atlanta-based Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity builds home for low-income families. The money will allow Habitat to build 5,000 energy-efficient homes so that families can save money on their energy bills.

Habitat for Humanity ejects two GA affiliates

Habitat volunteers at work. (Courtesy Habitat)

The Americus-based Habitat for Humanity organization has expelled 12 of the group's affiliates, according to a Habitat spokesman, two of them within Georgia.

Duane Bates, director of Habitat's media relations declined to name the Georgia affiliates, but said that:

“One had not tithed in over four years, and the second dissolved on a voluntary basis.”

Bates says the process of what the organization calls, "disaffiliation," with the US-based branches, began on March 9, 2006 for a variety of reasons:

Five were voluntary, meaning the affiliates were winding down their operations, and wanted to close. One affiliate was in the process of merging with another affiliate and would cease being an independent entity. Two of the affiliates had not reported the completion of a house in more than eight years. The others had not participated in Habitat For Humanity's tithes in more than four years.”

Click here for more GPB News coverage of events in Americus.