Celebrating 40 Years of Impact
For 40 years, Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City has built strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter.
Since our founding by John and Mary Pritchard in 1979, Habitat KC has built or renovated more than 700 homes and has enriched the lives of thousands of families through our affordable housing solutions.
Building homes, changing lives; none of what we’ve accomplished would have been possible without the support we have received from our generous donors, devoted volunteers and partner homeowners. We are so thankful for every donation, every ReStore purchase, and every hour of volunteer time invested.
As we celebrate our past, we look forward to framing our future for the next 40 years as we build a Kansas City community where everyone has a decent place to live.
Building Homes. Changing Lives.
Housing plays a key role in positively influencing a family’s education, employment, and health opportunities. Since 1979, Habitat KC has built or renovated more than 700 homes and has enriched the lives of thousands of families through our affordable housing solutions.
Every hand makes a difference.
Volunteers are a critical part of Habitat KC's success. Since 1979, millions of amazing, hard-working community members have given their time to building a brighter future for Habitat families and meeting the affordable housing needs of Kansas City.
Reduce, Reuse, ReStore.
Since opening its doors in 2000, more than 37 million pounds of reusable material has been diverted from landfills thanks to donations made to Habitat KC ReStore. At ReStore, every donation and purchase helps us build and renovate homes with hard-working local families.
Celebrate with us at Foundations 2019
Join Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City on October 2nd as we host our annual signature event, Foundations. This year, Foundations is a celebration of our 40th anniversary of providing affordable housing solutions to the greater Kansas City community.
Click the button below to learn how you can join the party!
Building Our Foundation
“We’re hoping that by building good homes in that neighborhood,there will be a ripple effect improving the whole area.”
In March of 1979, Habitat for Humanity Kansas City, Inc. was founded; the seventh affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International. On October 13 of that same year, the organization that would become Habitat For Humanity of Kansas City broke ground on our first home at 2907 Paseo Boulevard. The simple, two-story home was the first home the Middlebrooks family who paid a 20-year zero-interest mortgage of $100 per month.
“We’re hoping that by building good homes in that neighborhood, there will be a ripple effect improving the whole area,” John Pritchard said in an article published in the Kansas City Star.
Habitat KC would go on to build five more homes on that block and built many more in the Boston Heights and Mount Hope neighborhoods over the next 10 years.
We now serve six counties across the Kansas City metro but we never strayed far from our roots. Habitat KC’s headquarters office is just three blocks away from our first home, at the corner of Linwood and Paseo.
Check out more highlights from our past in our 40th-Anniversary timeline!
Framing Our Future
Though we have achieved much in the past 40 years, there is still much to do.
Habitat KC believes that everyone deserves to build the foundation for a strong, healthy future for themselves and their families — no matter where they live or how much money they earn. Every family deserves the chance to thrive.
Currently, 13,000 local families are in need of safe, affordable housing that’s why Habitat KC is committed to building a Kansas City community where everyone has a decent place to live.
In order to meet this challenge, we must:
Increase house production by expanding existing resources like housing trust funds, housing bonds and tax credits for affordable housing.
Promote inclusive access to credit by supporting the expansion of down payment assistance programs and financial education opportunities.
Increase equitable access to land by promoting inclusionary housing policies, streamlining land use approvals and improving zoning ordinances.
Create communities of opportunities by expanding home repair/modification assistance and property tax relief programs for lower-income homeowners.