About Us

Our Mission Statement

Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities, and hope.

Our Vision

A world where everyone has a decent place to live.

About Habitat for Humanity of Durham

Habitat for Humanity of Durham is part of a global, nonprofit housing organization that is dedicated to eliminating substandard housing locally and worldwide through constructing, rehabilitating, and preserving homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions. Habitat for Humanity was founded on the conviction that every man, woman, and child should have a simple, durable place to live in dignity and safety, and that decent shelter in decent communities should be a matter of conscience and action for all.

Habitat for Humanity of Durham grew from Durham’s faith community, commitment to service, and belief in true partnership. From 1982 to 1984, a group of youth and adults at Watts Street Baptist Church led mission trips to build with Habitat for Humanity in Tennessee and Maryland.  As the trips grew in popularity, Worth Lutz, Dick Chorley, Floyd Fletcher, and Joe Lee, Jr. began exploring the feasibility of founding a Habitat affiliate in Durham.

In October 1985, Durham Congregations in Action (DCIA), an organization of 24 churches and faith communities, came together to officially found Habitat for Humanity of Durham. In 1989, Trinity United Methodist Church, a DCIA member, offered office space to the new organization, and our offices remained there until late 2023.

Click here to see a 1986 news feature on Habitat for Humanity’s founding in Durham and other North Carolina cities.

Rev. Joe Harvard, pastor of Durham’s First Presbyterian Church, told the founding leaders of our ministry, “The Habitat train is leaving the station. If you want to join us, you better get on board.” The Habitat train has made a tangible difference in Durham. Since 1985, we have helped more than 600 families achieve their homeownership goals — more than 400 in Durham and more than 200 internationally.

We strive to be bold and innovative in our work to end substandard housing in Durham and abroad.  However, we will always remain tied to our roots of faith and community. 

All Are Welcome

Habitat for Humanity of Durham has an open-door policy: All who believe that everyone needs a decent, affordable place to live are welcome to help with the work, regardless of race, religion, age, gender, political views, or any of the other distinctions that too often divide people. In short, Habitat welcomes volunteers and supporters from all backgrounds and also serves people in need of decent housing regardless of race or religion. As a matter of policy, Habitat for Humanity International and its affiliated organizations do not proselytize. This means that Habitat will not offer assistance on the expressed or implied condition that people must either adhere to or convert to a particular faith, or listen and respond to messaging designed to induce conversion to a particular faith.

About Habitat for Humanity International

Founded in Americus, Georgia, USA, in 1976, Habitat for Humanity today operates around the globe and has helped build, renovate and repair more than 600,000 decent, affordable houses sheltering more than 3 million people worldwide.