Habitat for Humanity of Effingham County: Creating a World Where Everyone Has a Decent Place to Live

For more than 25 years, Habitat for Humanity has been the centerpiece for local charities throughout Effingham County. The international organization (habitat.org) was founded on the conviction that every man, woman and child should have a simple, durable place to live in dignity and safety.

The vision is clear: A world where everyone has a decent place to live. And that is exactly what Jimmy Rutland, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Effingham County, and his team drive home continually in their mission to bring people together to build homes, communities and hope.

To date, the local organization has built 22 new homes and—since 2010—completed more than 60 home repairs.

“We have an extremely small staff and have been able to achieve our great success with the willingness of our community volunteers,” Rutland said. “There is no question that love builds every home that we open the front doors to.”

In order to fill these homes, Habitat for Humanity of Effingham County relies on families to apply.

In 2016, key findings* by the Habitat for Humanity of Georgia gauged the impact that home ownership has on the lives of Habitat homeowners in Georgia and the outcome was astounding.

The resulting data revealed that families have “greater financial security, less reliance on public assistance, increased confidence in ability to fund children’s college education, increased feelings of safety, stronger feelings of community connectedness and civic engagement, positive changes in family dynamics, enhanced feelings of personal well being.”

If you or someone you know is interested in applying for Habitat for Humanity homeownership, applications are being accepted at www.habitatec.org/homeownership.

*In September 2016, Habitat for Humanity of Georgia, Inc. engaged Georgia Tech’s Center for Economic Development Research (CEDR) to gauge the impact that home ownership has on the lives of Habitat homeowners in Georgia. Resulting data was analyzed by the CEDR, Georgia Habitat, and the A.L. Burruss Institute of Public Service and Research at Kennesaw State University.