This year the organization believes it will build 100, and is projecting a 40 percent annual increase in the number of homes built in 1999 and 2000. Barker says in order for HabiJax to meet the continuing need for affordable housing, it must also have a dependable stable of corporate sponsors. Keeping sponsors is one of our true tests, says Barker. Right now we have about 60 sponsors. They range from Lakewood United Methodist Church to Nations Bank.
Some sponsors build one house per year, others build multiple homes.
It is up to the individual sponsor. HabiJax supporters are getting more creative with their reasons for sponsorship. This year an all-female crew built one home and another crew celebrated an individual s birthday by building a home. All these factors lead to a growing influence for HabiJax and continued growth in the number of homes the organization builds each year. The number really depends upon a lot of different factors, says Barker.