www.flickr.com Go to habitatchampaign's photostream

Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County and ReStore is a locally run affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International (HfHI). HfHI is a nonprofit, Christian housing ministry that works both to eliminate poverty housing around the world and to make adequate housing a matter of conscience and action. Habitat welcomes to the table partners from any faith - or from no faith tradition - which are willing to pick up a hammer to help improve the lives of families needing decent shelter.

Volunteers provide most of the labor, and individual and corporate donors provide money and materials to build Habitat houses. Habitat is not a giveaway program. In addition to a down payment and the monthly mortgage payments, homeowners invest hundreds of hours of their own labor - sweat equity - into building their Habitat house and the houses of others. Habitat is a hand up, not a hand out. Home owner mortgage payments go into a revolving Fund for Humanity that is used to build more houses. We also donate 10% of the money raised for each home build to Habitat for Humanity of Mexico (tithing).

Our affiliate's home improvement ReStore offers 20,000 square feet of new and gently used furniture, household goods, electronics, appliances and building materials (see a video here).  All items are donated by individuals, families, and local businesses and sold to you at discounted prices. ReStore profits pay for the overhead costs of operating Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County. By covering our own costs, we are able to direct every dollar designated for home building directly to home building, 100%. When you shop at, donate to or volunteer with the ReStore, you support our mission to build relationships and strengthen community through the construction of new homes with qualified, low-income families.

Learn more about...

• home ownership
• homes we've built (see a video here)
• current events as described in our weekly e-pub or on the calendar
• current home builds (Thrivent Builds Homes, Illinois Campus Chapter, Women Build Homes)
• volunteering (2008 George Kieffer Award)

Donate online, by phone or by mail. Learn about build sponsorships, specific campaigns and estate planning. Click here.