At a time when a safe and healthy home has never been more important, Habitat Australia serves 9,765 through new and improved housing.
Sydney, 2020 — Despite economic and operational challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Habitat for Humanity Australia successfully adopted new strategies and safe practices to continue helping families in Australia and overseas. The 9,765 people who gained access to safe, decent and affordable housing in the past year helped Habitat reach 35 million people served since its founding in 1976.
“I have been so heartened by the generosity of you, our supporters, for trusting us with your funds and time, volunteering with us throughout the past year. With your continued help we can create more healthy homes that help stop the spread of the virus today, and also lead the way to a sustainable recovery tomorrow.” Nicole Stanmore, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Australia.
This work is part of the more than 5.9 million people that Habitat for Humanity served around the world last year. This includes more than 1.9 million people in the Asia and the Pacific region. Habitat for Humanity Australia is part of the larger Habitat for Humanity network, which operates in the U.S. and in more than 70 countries.
Habitat views access to safe, decent, and affordable housing as the cornerstone of strong, thriving communities. Elisabet and her son were served by Habitat’s global network. Elisabet built a new home with the help of Habitat for Humanity Indonesia. Before Elisabet partnered with Habitat she did not have access to a toilet, clean water or a safe home. Elisabet’s old home was located in a narrow spot near the back of the village which was easily flooded. Many nights Elizabeth would wake up with drain water entering her house. Now in Elisabet’s new home she can take care of children and sleep through the night without having to worry about floods. Elisabet also took part in our livelihood training which helped minimize her debt and budgets her earnings to support put her son through school.
Over the years Habitat Australia has partnered with families to increase access to affordable, safe and decent housing in the local community through new construction, rehabilitation and repairs. In the fiscal year 2020, Habitat Australia continued to support families overseas through our international programs and through our domestic programs. Habitat Australia has dedicated a large portion of their time and resources throughout 2020 to supporting their Bushfire Recovery Program with a focus on severely affected regions of New South Wales and South Australia. Following the Black Summer fires, Habitat Australia has supported 161 bushfire affected families, delivered 215 recovery days, and engaged with 420 volunteers across NSW and South Australia. In Victoria and New South Wales Habitat Australia has been building and delivering temporary container homes to Aussie families who’s new homes have not been built or finished. The temporary homes provided will hopefully make the families living conditions more comfortable during COVID-19 as they await the constructions of their new homes
“While this year has brought many challenges and heartaches to communities we serve across the world, I’m grateful that Habitat has had an opportunity to serve so many families when they needed it most,” said Jonathan T.M. Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. “At Habitat, we are religious about our principles, but not about our tactics. I’ve been blown away by the ingenuity and flexibility of Habitat organizations around the world who quickly adapted to the new normal and built new strategies to carry out our mission. We are clear-eyed that the future will bring more headwinds, but I know that the people who enable our mission — our donors, staff, volunteers and the people we serve — are as dedicated as ever to our vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live.”
To learn more and to read Habitat Australia’s 2020 annual report, please click here: FY20 Annual Report
About Habitat for Humanity Australia
Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity began in 1976 as a grassroots effort. The housing organisation has since grown to become a leading global not-for-profit working in more than 70 countries. Worldwide, Habitat has helped more than 35 million people obtain safe and decent housing, along with the strength, stability and independence to build better lives.
Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families build a better tomorrow, today. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, donate or volunteer, visit habitat.org.au or phone 1800 88 55 99