Habitat for Humanity: "Building Homes and Dreams One Nail at a Time"

Six years ago I began my journey with Habitat for Humanity in the Becker County area as a student representative on the executive board.  I attended meetings to learn budgeting, how we choose families, and organize fundraisers.  After high school I did not want to end my journey with Habitat, so I joined the North Dakota State University Habitat for Humanity chapter when I started my freshman year of college. I spent the year taking part in fundraisers, attending meetings, and building a house in Miami, Florida over Spring Break.  That spring I was chosen to be the fundraising coordinator for the next school year.  I learned responsibility, creativity, and not to give up when rejected.  Even though it was difficult to find people and businesses to donate with our state of economy, I was still able to double the amount of money raised compared to the previous year.  This year I was elected to be the Vice President and my goal is to double the amount of members in the NDSU Habitat for Humanity chapter.  I have now had the opportunity to build houses in Minnesota, North Dakota, Florida, and South Carolina!

Building a roof in South Carolina

The home recipient: Jamala

Working hard in South Carolina

Putting up drywall in Florida

Meeting the Habitat for Humanity CEO Jonathon Reckford

Shingling in Florida

Habitat for Humanity International was founded by Millard and Linda Fuller in 1976.  They began building houses on the Koinonia farm land in 1968 by laying out 42 half-acres of land for houses.  In 1973, they traveled to Zaire with a goal to build suitable houses for 2,000 people.  A group of supporters were called together in 1976 to discuss future goals and ideas and this is how Habitat for Humanity International was formed.

In 1984, former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, began the Jimmy Carter Work Project which brought a lot of national attention to the non-profit organization.  Each year they work in other countries around the world or states around the U.S.A.  Just this fall they spent a week in the Twin Cities area working on a community of houses.

Today, Habitat for Humanity has built over 350,000 houses which has sheltered more than 1.75 million people worldwide!

Always,

Tiffany Schulstad-Peterson

Miss Moorhead, 2010