Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH) is a housing ministry dedicated to strengthening communities by empowering low-income families to change their lives and the lives of future generations through homeownership and home preservation opportunities. This is accomplished by working in partnership with diverse people, from all walks of life, to build simple, decent, affordable housing. Habitat’s mission to provide homeownership and home preservation opportunities to low-income families is unique as it requires partner families to work alongside the community that is reaching out to help them. Each Habitat partner family provides “sweat equity,” or physical labor, toward the construction of their own home, other Habitat family homes and special projects. Partner families provide between 300-500 hours of sweat equity and participate in educational programs designed to help them achieve successful homeownership. Habitat partner families are selected based on three specific criteria: • Ability to pay a zero-percent interest mortgage • Need for simple, decent shelter • Willingness to partner with the organization, sponsors and community volunteers Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity has helped 100 local families, as well as 200 international families, realize their dream of homeownership over the last 31 years. Of the families helped, more than 50 percent of these families are single mothers looking for an opportunity to allow their children to grow up in a safe, affordable home.