"My room is a special place. I like looking out my window to see the clouds and moon. When I say my prayers at night, I ask God to watch over my family, my friends, and my home?'" Daughter of a Habitat Wake Homeowner
Habitat for Humanity of Wake County has since 1985 joined with individuals and local organizations to build simple, decent, affordable homes in partnership with families living at modest income levels who cannot qualify for mortgages at market rates. Habitat for Humanity helps people build and buy their own homes. It works by creating opportunity, not dependency.
The Habitat homeownership program – which includes hands-on home construction, affordable mortgages and classes to empower heads of households – creates stability for families. Explaining the stability of homeownership, John Cramer, president of the board of directors for Habitat Wake said: “The ‘need’ we’re answering is affordable housing, but the ‘dream’ being fulfilled is creating places for families to put down roots,” said John Cramer, president of the board of directors, 2006-2008.
Qualified partner homeowners make an investment of "sweat equity" building their homes alongside volunteers, pay a down payment then purchase the homes through no-profit mortgages provided by Habitat Wake. Habitat families enjoy all the rights and responsibilities of any other homeowners.
Note: "Sweat equity" is Habitat's name for the labor that Habitat homeowners put towards building their own houses and other Habitat houses. It allows a Habitat homeowner to work alongside volunteers and staff, supports pride in homeownership, and teaches construction skills.
Through financial support of house sponsors, volunteer labor and frequent donations of materials, the cost of Habitat homes can be minimized, so that the monthly mortgage payment for a Habitat home is manageable for a family that earns a modest income. (As of summer 2008, the average monthly mortgage payment, which includes taxes and insurance, for a three-bedroom Habitat home in Wake County is $575.) The resulting cash flow from families' mortgages payments is returned as a "revolving fund" to build more Habitat homes in our community.
Additionally, a sustainable source of revenue for the mission of Habitat Wake comes from the Habitat Wake ReStore (formerly ReUse Center). Started in 1991, the ReStore collects new and used building materials from community donors as well as salvages materials through an innovative DeConstruction program.
Proceeds from selling these building materials to the public at discounted prices support Habitat Wake’s day-to-day operations, making even more funds available for the construction of new Habitat homes. 
(This business model has environmental benefits, too. In fiscal year 2005-2006, the ReStore diverted more than 2,000 tons of reusable building materials from local landfills.)
Habitat Wake serves all of Wake County and its 12 municipalities including Apex, Cary, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Holly Springs, Knightdale, Morrisville, Raleigh, Rolesville, Wake Forest, Wendell and Zebulon.
Our mission: Habitat for Humanity of Wake County develops partnerships to build healthy, affordable homes with and for God's people in need, promotes self-reliance through homeownership, affirms the dignity of the family, and creates sustainable communities.
Our vision: Every family lives in a healthy home, in a peaceful neighborhood, in a sustainable, diverse, tolerant, and vibrant community.
Myths & Facts: Are Habitat houses built from one house plan? Are materials from the Habitat Wake ReStore used to build Habitat homes? This handout answers a few frequently asked questions.
