Habitat For Humanity International was started in Americus, Ga., in 1976 by Millard Fuller along with his wife Linda. They annually lead the Jimmy Carter Work Project to help raise not only houses, but also awareness of the need for affordable housing. Since Carter's first work project in 1984, more than 1,000 houses have been built in conjunction with the special weeks. Habitat for Humanity has chapters in every state and throughout the world. Habitat operates through locally run affiliates, rather than through chapters controlled by the broader organization.
Affiliates are grass-roots organizations of local people coming together to address local needs.
As such, the affiliates are independent, nonprofit organizations that operate within specific service areas in a covenant relationship with Habitat for Humanity International. Habitat for Humanity builds only in rural areas. Because poverty housing is so widespread, Habitat's work goes on 365 days a year in hundreds upon hundreds of locations throughout the United States and around the globe. A Habitat house is built somewhere in the world about every 45 minutes. Poverty housing is a huge issue.