The History of Habitat for Humanity of Ottawa County
Habitat for Humanity of Ottawa County, Inc. was organized July 14, 1993 as a nonprofit Corporation, Charter No. 849421, under the Ohio Nonprofit Corporation Act/Code and as a tax-exempt organization under Section 501 © (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended. We became a Habitat for Humanity Affiliate on October 1, 1994. In 2019 we celebrated our 25th Anniversary of becoming an affiliate and we began building our 25th house.
The mission statement for Habitat for Humanity of Ottawa County: We work in partnership with God and people everywhere, from all walks of life, to develop communities with people in need by building and renovating houses, so that there decent houses in decent communities in which every person can experience God’s love and can live and grow into all the God intends. Habitat for Humanity of Ottawa County, Inc. shall seek to sponsor specific projects in habitat development, starting with the construction of modest but adequate housing, and to associate with other groups functioning with purposes consistent with those of the affiliate.
Each partner family working with Habitat for Humanity is required to invest 300-500 of “sweat-equity” which involves directly working on their home or other Habitat projects. Partnering with local churches, businesses, and valuable volunteers allows Habitat to keep the cost of the home affordable through volunteer labor and donated materials. The families enter into low cost no-interest mortgages that are repaid over twenty years. All payments made by existing Habitat partners then goes into a Fund for Humanity that assists Habitat in building more houses for qualified families. To date, twenty-five houses have been constructed and occupied, in Port Clinton, Oak Harbor, Graytown, Genoa, Marblehead, Elmore, Rocky Ridge and Clay Center.
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We would love to see your photos and hear your stories from the past 25+ years of Habitat for Humanity of Ottawa County. Please share with us!!
