About Habitat for Humanity of the Lehigh Valley

Who We Are

Habitat for Humanity of the Lehigh Valley is a non-profit organization that works to build simple, decent homes for hardworking, disadvantaged families in the Lehigh Valley. We are an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI), a global organization that has provided housing for more than 2 million people in communities in America an around the world. As one of 1,500 U.S. affiliates, Habitat Lehigh Valley embodies the mission and goals of HFHI at the local level.

Habitat Lehigh Valley brings together people from all walks of life to help others. Habitat Lehigh Valley works by partnering with local business, individuals and faith-based groups to build and renovate housing for families in need in our community. Our objective is to provide our families with decent homes in safe neighborhoods.
Additionnaly, our families help to revitalize neighborhoods and increase the local tax base.

Habitat Lehigh Valley is made up of a volunteer board of directors, a dedicated paid staff, volunteer leadership committees, hundreds of homebuilding volunteers and parents and children working together to secure homeownership for families who are in need of affordable, decent housing.
More about Our Staff
Board of Directors

Our Mission

Habitat for Humanity of the Lehigh Valley seeks to put God's love into action by bringing people together to build homes, communities and hope. The Habitat mission is to offer families in need a hand up, not a hand out, and to walk alongside them as they realize the dream of home ownership. Each of our partner families contributes 250 hours of sweat equity to help build their home and the homes of their neighbors. Once in residence, they make monthly mortgage payment.

What We Do

We work with the community to change the community, one home, one family at a time. We build new or renovate damaged homes by drawing the community together through support of donated materials, contributed dollars and giving hands.

Habitat Lehigh Valley seeks and works with local disadvantaged families willing to work for their home. We provide mentoring and homeownership skills to help those families succeed as homeowners.

The Habitat Home Ownership program provides deserving families and children with a stable home and a safe neighborhood in which to grow and thrive. Studies indicate that the children of homeowners are more likely to attain higher academic achievement. They have a 25% higher probability of finishing high school and a 16% better chance of graduating from college. Additionally, children of homeowners are 59% more likely to become homeowners themselves.

Fiscal Responsibility

Habitat Lehigh Valley's finances are audited annually by an independent firm of certified public accountants. As required by law, we file Form 990 with the IRS each year.If you would like to review our audited financial statements and our most recent 990, please use the links below.

Financial Statements
IRS Form 990
Five Year Strategic Plan

Affiliate History

In 1989 an inspired group of Lehigh Valley citizens began meeting at First Presbyterian Church in Bethlehem to form a local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity. Working with borrowed space, donated materials and hundreds of volunteer hours, the first Habitat Lehigh Valley home was completed on Pawnee Street in Bethlehem on land donated by an individual.

During the next several years, the organization's grass roots efforts began to take long-term shape as a Board of Directors formed, an office was established and staff was hired. Since then, Habitat Lehigh Valley has grown and transformed into an efficient and effective full-time home building operation that has completed over 90 homes across Easton, Bethlehem and Allentown, assisting families in need of safe,affordable anddecent housing.

Faith Based Partnerships

Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, ecumenical organization whose mission is to create a world where everyone has a decent place to live. 

As the local affiliate, our organizational mission is focused on putting God's love into action. We undertake this work to demonstrate that God's love and grace abound for all, and that we must be "hands and feet" of that love and grace in our world. We believe that, through faith, the miniscule can be multiplied to accomplish the magnificent and that respectful relationships can grow among all people. 

Habitat Lehigh Valley is a partnership founded on common ground-bridging theological differences by putting love into action. Everyone can use a hammer as an instrument to manifest God's love. During a build, the sound of hammering nails drowns out differences and empowers volunteers to raise walls of hope for people in need. We believe that no one lives in dignity until all can live in dignity. 

Working together, we can build stability, security and opportunity for people in need to grow into all that God intended them to be. 

Habitat Lehigh Valley Quick facts:

-  Habitat for Humanity of the Lehigh Valley has built or rehabilited 90 homes since 1989, and has never had foreclosure.

-  Charity Navigator rates Habitat Lehigh Valley in the top 10% of all non-profits in the U.S for fiscal management. Approximately 90%      of our revenues goes into home construction and renovation.

-  Habitat Lehigh Valley is currently building a 40-home community in South Bethlehem. Similar communities are planned for Allentown and   Easton.

-  Habitat Lehigh Valley has a core team of about 100 volunteers who support the efforts of an executive director and a small paid staff.