Through volunteer labor and donations of money and materials, Habitat builds and rehabilitates simple, decent homes with partner families. Habitat homes are sold to partner families at no profit and financed with affordable loans. The homeowners’ mortgage payments are used to build still more Habitat homes.

Habitat does not give away homes. In addition to a down payment and monthly mortgage payments, homeowners invest hundreds of hours of their own labor—sweat equity—into building their Habitat home and the homes of other Habitat partner families.

In Minnesota, there are 25 locally formed and governed Habitat for Humanity affiliates that accomplish home building and home repair activities. These affiliates have built over 2,500 homes and repaired over 2,000 homes in Minnesota.

Every year in Minnesota over 30,000 individuals contribute their time, effort, and skills to building or repairing around 300 Habitat homes.