'A life they deserve:' Habitat for Humanity continues to change lives, 40 years on

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis hit a massive milestone in the midst of its 40-year anniversary.

Memphis Habitat has been building homes for local families most in need since 1983. To celebrate and begin Memphis Habitat’s next project, the non-profit organization held an Aug. 17 kickoff with about 100 key volunteers, donors and board members at their new construction project in South Memphis' Castalia Heights community. In the largest single-site build since 2019, 12 new homes will be constructed, marking 600 homes built since Memphis Habitat’s founding.

Lori Humber, chief operating officer for Memphis Habitat, explained how the homes Habitat builds don’t just benefit the 12 families purchasing them, but the entire community at large, a critical aspect of Habitat's goal for the communities they work with.

“It lends to stability because it prevents rentals from outside investors,” Humber said. “It provides stability for children in those homes, which aids and abets better education experiences, less transience so that kids start and stay in the same school, it pours tax money back into the tax space for the city and county, as well as local businesses. You shop and spend where you live.”

Humber noted Habitat’s work in restoring existing homes for seniors as well.

“This year not only will we build our 600th house, we will also do over 300 critical repairs (for older adults) that allow families to stay in homes that they’ve purchased, which allows the wealth to stay in the family, as well as stability in the community,” she said. “Older people age better and live longer when they’re in their home, versus having to move in with a family member or institution.”

This specific build of 12 houses will run through mid-November, but Humber said the total number of new homes created this year will reach at least 32, making 2023 the largest build year ever for Memphis Habitat. 316 repairs will also be made to existing homes. Anyone age 16 and up can volunteer with Habitat throughout the year to contribute to this effort - both individual and group opportunities are available.

Gerre Currie, chair of Memphis Habitat’s board, was ecstatic to get this build underway. Currie works in banking for her day job, but she said Habitat is her passion.

“We’re providing hope, we’re providing mortgages at zero percent interest that helps people that have long felt like no one cared about whether or not they had an opportunity to own their own home. (Community members) see development (around the city), but they are so far out of the average reach of the average individual in this community, that you don’t see it and feel like it even relates to you - this is relatable, this is achievable.”

Currie said that at a time when inflation is so high, Habitat’s work is more important than ever.

“You still see food prices, interest rates on credit cards, interest rates on mortgages increasing,” she said. “But that doesn’t stop Habitat from doing what they do.”

Buying a home with zero-percent interest

Buying a home with zero-percent interest clearly makes an incredible difference in the homeowner’s life, and no one knows that better than Crystal Jones, who bought her home from Habitat in 2019. She said the financial stability created with buying a home was crucial to giving her children “a life they deserve.”

“Ultimately, it changed the entire trajectory of my family line,” Jones said. “I’m the first homeowner in my family, so this was a pretty big deal.”

Jones tried to purchase a home multiple times prior, but with high interest rates and other factors in her life, it simply wasn’t possible, and she faced a lack of stability due in part to high rental costs. Thankfully, Habitat’s “helpful and compassionate” staff was exactly what she needed to provide for her family, and give her peace of mind.

“One of the biggest things being a single parent, we have to choose sometimes between raising our children and providing,” she said. “With this organization, I’m now able to raise my children and provide for them without trying to worry about, do I pay mortgage, do I pay the light bill, or do I spend this time with my children. I don’t have that stress, and I’m able to really focus on my future and my children’s future.”

Meeting the volunteer goal

Memphis Habitat’s volunteer goal for this year is set at 4,000, and so far about 10% of that goal has been reached. Humber said Habitat usually meets its volunteer goals, and to meet it this year, Kim Morrison Stewart, Senior Manager of Internal Initiatives wants potential volunteers to know that anyone is capable of volunteering, regardless of prior knowledge and skill level. If someone thinks they can’t be helpful, they’re wrong.

“Come on out here, you don’t have to have any experience, you don’t have to have built a home or anything,” Stewart said. “We’ll give you all the tools, all the know-how that you need on the site, there’s something for everybody to do regardless of ability level.”

Stewart herself has worked with Habitat for nine years after looking for a “life change”, and said her favorite part of her work at Habitat is knowing the substantial difference the organization is making in people’s lives.

“Knowing how bad the affordable housing market has gotten, knowing that we are doing work to put a dent in that, and help people who might not otherwise have access to buying a home of their own have that opportunity (is what I love about Habitat), she said.

Volunteering with Habitat Memphis is a risk-free opportunity to help change the world for families, neighbors, and fellow Memphians in need. Currie has seen first hand how the organization’s work is completely transformative for families, especially young children.

“I’ve seen those faces, I’ve seen that transformation, and I’ve seen children who have for the first time in their life their own bedroom,” Currie said. “They’re like everybody else. There’s so many people who don’t feel like they are like everyone else. Housing is that change that confirms that your parents love you, and they love you enough to do this so that you go to school, and you can say, I’m going to my house. I’m going to my home. If you’ve never seen it, it touches you.”

Jacob Wilt is a reporter for The Commercial Appeal. You can reach him at jacob.wilt@commercialappeal.com

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Habitat for Humanity Memphis marks 600 homes built in 40 years