Language
Devi, a resident of Tamil Nadu, who now has a cool roof stands in front of a door and white wall wearing a blue sari, smiling.

What’s possible with an open door

Real stories of homes and lives transformed

Behind every open door is a story. As we build on fifty years of making home possible, we’re highlighting some of the people and innovations at the heart of our mission. These are the voices driving the movement forward, opening the door to home.

Star and her children stand outside the front door of their new home.

North America

Building back better after California’s Camp Fire

Star moved to Paradise, California, with a clear goal: to provide her three children with a community where they could grow deep roots. After years of instability, she was finally close to family and ready to build a permanent foundation.

“We have a life. Not just a life, an entire community.”

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A father and his three kids stand in front of their home and smile at the camera.

North America

Building affordable homes for generations to come

Frankie is a veteran and single father of three living in Greeley, Colorado. For years, he balanced the weight of rising rent and medical bills for his daughter, who is battling an autoimmune disease.

“We finally have a place to truly call our own.”

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Add your door

Design and share your digital door to help unlock affordable homes for families. Subscribe to get started and receive a Habitat newsletter! You can unsubscribe at any time.

A volunteer stands in a white hard hat, mask, and gloves on a job site with a brick wall behind him.

Europe

From abandoned buildings to affordable homes

In Poland, 1.8 million properties sit empty while hundreds of thousands of people struggle to find a decent, affordable shelter. We turn these abandoned buildings into safe, energy-efficient homes in partnership with those who need them most.

“I’m proud that a place once empty will be filled with laughter and joy again.”

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A woman stands with her two kids in front of her house, which is painted peach and blue. There is a concrete porch at their feet.

Latin America

Creating safer, healthier homes from the floor up

More than 50 million people in Latin America live on dirt floors, which can be breeding grounds for bacteria. That’s why we’re partnering with families in Latin America to install a cost-effective upgrade that protects their health: concrete floors. 

“Now my kids look happier. You can see the joy in them.”

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A woman, Yiftu, stands in the doorway of her home, holding a child and smiling. They are surrounded by planters.

Africa

From rain to a reliable home in Ethiopia

Yiftu dreaded the rainy season. Moisture and flooding meant her home was not a haven — it was a health risk. 

Determined to give her children a safe home, she partnered with Habitat.

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An engineer holds up an orange tool to check the temperature of a roof that is painted white.

Asia Pacific

Scaling passive cooling solutions

Millions across India face unrelenting heat during the scorching summer months. Since air conditioning costs are unaffordable for most households, we’ve turned to a proven method to solve this problem: heat-reflective roof paint.

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A woman stands between her two children in front of her yellow home that has solar panels on the roof.

North America

Energy-efficient homes in Rhode Island

Becoming a Habitat homeowner with an affordable mortgage was already life-changing for Aliyya and her family. 

Becoming the owner of an energy-efficient house with solar panels brought another layer of savings and empowerment. 

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Welcome to the group chat!

You’ve been added to the Habitat group chat! You’ll be getting the scoop on our insider expertise from folks from across the organization each month. We’re talking about housing, health, building and more. Jump in! 

Why does advocacy matter for housing?

Did you know that concrete floors can literally save lives?

What is sustainable building?

How are housing and health connected?

What does water have to do with housing?

What are you actually building?

Did you know?

What started as a single ReStore in Winnipeg, Canada, back in 1991 has exploded into a global network. Every sale at our locally operated stores helps us partner with even more families in communities across the world.

Blue image with rows of blue doors superimposed on it.

Volunteer spotlight

“We can collaborate together, sharing ideas across countries and borders.”

Leveraging tech

Winners of the Habitat Asia-Pacific Youth Housing Solutions micro-grants demonstrate how creativity, technology and volunteerism come together to tackle one of our greatest global challenges: access to safe, affordable housing. 

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“We must be courageous and systematic in building partnerships.”

Leading with vision

Volunteers like Habitat Zambia Board Chair Mulenga Muleba are key to what we do. When people step forward to give their time, leadership and energy, more families can build safer, stronger futures. 

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“Giving time so that others can improve their quality of life is never a waste.”

Life after loss

Thirteen years ago, Violeta was living in deep grief after the loss of her son. Life felt heavy. Then, she received an invitation from Habitat staff to attend a community meeting.

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You can help open the door to opportunity

We know a better future starts with home. See how you can volunteer your time to help a family build a place to call their own.

Volunteer today

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  • A child's legs run out past an open white front door toward his mother who is standing and smiling in the front yard.

    Let's Open the Door

    Over the past 50 years, we have helped more than 65 million people around the world build, improve or finance places to call home. Now, we’re building on that momentum.

    Learn more
  • Three women jumping in the air excited in front of illustrated doors.

    Pop-up doors

    Nine cities. Nine immersive installations. Countless stories. We transformed doors into works of art, spotlighting local creators and authentic homeowner experiences along the way. Relive the journey and discover the communities that opened the door to inspiration.

    Learn more