Our Mission
To make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action.
Our Vision
A world where everyone has a decent place to live.
Salt Lake Valley Habitat for Humanity carries out our mission and vision through three pillars of service: building affordable homes, making critical home repairs, and offering low-cost building materials and household items in our ReStore. We invite people of all backgrounds, races, religions, and abilities to build houses in partnership with families in need.
Our History
Serving the Salt Lake Valley since 1986
Over the last 36 years, Salt Lake Valley Habitat for Humanity has built 100 homes, with eight new homes under construction. Over 368 people, including 251 children, have benefitted from owning a Habitat home. Our zero-interest mortgages make the cost of homeownership far less than rent. The stability of homeownership allows families to build community and fosters long-term success. Habitat families "pay it forward” because their mortgage payments are invested in building homes for future Habitat families.
In 2009, we opened the ReStore, Salt Lake’s only building materials thrift shop. Contractors, retailers, and individuals donate a wide variety of surplus items, including lumber, tile, lighting, furniture, artwork, appliances, electronics, household items, and even toys. For example, we sell toilets for only $20! The ReStore helps people maintain homes providing while keeping over 600 tons of materials out of local landfills annually. Proceeds from the ReStore support the construction of Habitat homes. The ReStore helps people maintain homes providing while keeping over 600 tons of materials out of local landfills annually.
In 2012, we established the Critical Home Repair Program (CHiRP) to eliminate sub-standard housing along the Wasatch Front. Since then, CHiRP has improved the health and life safety of more than 600 people, including 366 children, 92 seniors, 26 Veterans, and 85 people with disabilities.
Salt Lake Valley Habitat for Humanity continues to be a trusted community solution for decent, safe, and affordable housing in Salt Lake County.
Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing affordable housing to people in need. Its history is rooted in the vision and efforts of its founders, Millard and Linda Fuller whose model of providing "a hand-up, not a handout" has empowered countless people to achieve homeownership and improve their living conditions.
The idea that became Habitat for Humanity first grew from the fertile soil of Koinonia Farm, an interracial Christian community farm outside of Americus, Georgia, founded in 1942 by farmer and biblical scholar Clarence Jordan. On the farm, Jordan and the MIllards developed the concept of “partnership housing,” which centered on engaging those in need of adequate shelter to work side by side with volunteers to build decent, affordable houses. The houses would be built at no profit. New homeowners’ house payments would be combined with no-interest loans provided by supporters and money earned by fundraising to create “The Fund for Humanity,” which would then be used to build more homes.
Beau and Emma became the owners of the first home built by Koinonia’s Partnership Housing Program. They and their five children moved into a concrete-block home with a modern kitchen, indoor bathroom, and heating system, replacing the unpainted, uninsulated shack with no plumbing where they had previously lived.
In 1973, the Fullers decided to take the Fund for Humanity concept to Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo. After three years of hard work to launch a successful house-building program there, the Fullers returned to the United States and called together a group of supporters to discuss the future of their dream. In 1976, they founded Habitat for Humanity International. The organization's philosophy was simple: provide "no-profit" homes and "no-interest" loans to low-income families who would work alongside volunteers to build their own homes. Later that year, they dedicated the first Habitat home in Americus, Georgia.
Throughout the 1980s, Habitat for Humanity expanded its work, establishing affiliates in the United States and internationally. In 1984, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn, became prominent supporters of Habitat for Humanity. President Carter's involvement helped raise awareness and support for the organization's mission. He and Rosalynn were active volunteers in building Habitat homes. We mourn President Carter's passing in 2023.
In the 2000s, Habitat for Humanity International increased its focus on disaster response and recovery efforts by rebuilding homes and communities affected by natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and tsunamis. To achieve a broad-scale impact, Habitat for Humanity International became more involved in advocating for policies and practices that promote affordable housing and address the global housing crisis.
The times have changed, the build site locations have grown in number, but the very real change that Beau and Emma’s family experienced is shared by families today who partner with Habitat to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat now works in all 50 states in the U.S. and in more than 70 countries, has built more than 500,00 houses, and has helped more than 46 million people achieve strength, stability, and independence through safe, decent, and affordable shelter. Learn more about Habitat for Humanity International.
Non-proselytizing Policy
Salt Lake Valley Habitat for Humanity will not proselytize or work with entities or individuals who insist on proselytizing as part of their involvement with Habitat. We will not offer assistance on the expressed or implied condition that people must adhere to or convert to a particular faith or listen and respond to messaging designed to induce conversion to a particular faith.