Southern Crescent Habitat for Humanity, along with Habitat for Humanity International, and 83 U.S. Habitat affiliate organizations recently received $436 million in unrestricted giving from American author and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. Of that, Southern Crescent Habitat received $1.25 million. This transformational donation will substantially help further Habitat’s vision of a world where everyone has equitable access to a safe, decent and affordable place to call home.
“We are very grateful for this amazing gift from MacKenzie Scott and for our Lovejoy homeowner Toyea who is featured as the face of this partnership. We are proud to be 1 of 5 affiliates in Georgia to receive this gift after a thorough vetting process by their consultant. This gift acknowledges our effectiveness and the powerful collective efforts of our team, families, sponsors, volunteers, and community. We are currently focused on land acquisition and building. In the current market, there is a shortage of affordable housing and this gift will allow us to address the need in the South Metro Atlanta area,” expresses Southern Crescent Habitat CEO, Cynthia Jenkins.
Southern Crescent Habitat will continue to focus on land acquisition, building more homes per year, and expanding their services to meet the needs of the community. This gift is a building block for reaching their financial goals to impact the community for many years to come. Their efforts will create more equitable homeownership opportunities for individuals and families in Clayton, Henry, and Fayette counties. According to the Habitat “State of Home Affordability” study, there is a shortage of over 190,000 affordable and available homes in Georgia. In addition to Southern Crescent Habitat, four other Habitat affiliates across the state received substantial donations, including: Atlanta Habitat and Gwinnett-Walton Habitat.
Habitat International will use its $25 million portion of the donation to prioritize advocacy and programmatic efforts designed to dismantle systemic racism in housing. Specifically, the donation will allow Habitat to advocate for policy proposals and legislation that enable millions of people access affordable housing through its Cost of Home advocacy campaign; increase Black homeownership in the U.S. by targeting current systemic barriers through a new initiative that will launch this summer; and leverage innovative capital investments that service communities of color.
“Habitat works to break down barriers and bring people together — to tear down obstacles and build a world where everyone, no matter who we are or where we come from, has a decent place to live,” said Habitat for Humanity International CEO Jonathan Reckford. “This incredible gift helps make that work possible.”
About Southern Crescent Habitat for Humanity:
Southern Crescent Habitat for Humanity builds affordable homes and completes home repairs for low to moderate-income families, who need a hand up, not a handout. Through education and financial literacy, families are prepared to be successful homeowners. By partnerships with volunteers and donors in Clayton, Henry and Fayette Counties, their mission of building homes, communities and hope is possible. Since 1986, we have built, rehabed, and repaired more than 420 homes. For more information, please visit us at www.schabitat.org.
About Habitat for Humanity International:
Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity found its earliest inspirations as a grassroots movement on an interracial community farm in south Georgia. Since its founding in 1976, the Christian housing organization has grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in local communities across all 50 states in the U.S. and in more than 70 countries. Families and individuals in need of a hand up partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, visit habitat.org.
