The Story of Coastal Habitat for Humanity

Coastal Habitat for Humanity, Inc., is an independent affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, a non-profit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry based in Americus, Georgia. In the United States and Canada, there are over 1,600 affiliates and another 300 overseas–in Africa, India, Eastern Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Central America, and South America. Habitat for Humanity built its 100,000th house in New York City at the annual Jimmy Carter Work Project in September 2000.

The ultimate goal of Habitat for Humanity is to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the face of the earth by building basic, decent housing.

Coastal Habitat for Humanity was incorporated in Asbury Park in 1994 by a group of 13 people including clergy, representing eight Monmouth County towns, who were concerned with the need for decent, affordable housing for low-income families in the shore communities.

The Mission of Coastal Habitat is to work in partnership with God and people from all walks for life, to develop communities with God’s people in need by building and renovating houses, so that there are decent houses, in decent communities, in which people can live and grow into all that God intended.

The Volunteer Board of Directors began by organizing the core committees of Building, Site Selection, Fund Raising, Family Selection and Family Support. Today, the Board of Directors has expanded the Committees to include Volunteer Relations, Nominating, Public Relations and Church Relations. Coastal Habitat remains totally staffed by volunteers from the community.

The first home was completed in Asbury Park in December 1997. This was followed by a rehabilitation project during 1998-1999 of a Neptune Township home severely damaged by fire.

Foreign Building supported by Coastal Habitat’s tithing to Habitat for Humanity International has built four homes overseas.

The ultimate purpose of Habitat for Humanity is to place shelter on the hearts and minds of people in such a powerful way that poverty housing and homelessness become socially, politically and religiously unacceptable in our nation and the world.