Just recently, I met Millard Fuller, the founder and creator behind Habitat for Humanity. For 20 years, this non-profit organization has been building houses in barn-raising fashion for people living below poverty level. On a single day, a group of people gather over a poured foundation and, working with the family who will own that home, hammer, saw and raise that home to beautiful completion. 

Not long ago, a screenwriter named Randall Davis gathered Hollywood people together – 2,000 of them – to build 20 houses in a single day. 

With Habitat for Humanity, this is not a welfare cause. The people getting the new house have to contribute 500 hours of labor, then pay 1% for the house. The family makes payments on the house through a 20-year loan. 
 
While Habitat solutionizes, others around the world are doing the same. (Imagine if they all got together in one room – now that’s an effective meeting!) Congressman and former Head of Housing Jack Kemp is currently raising half a billion dollars to complete 100,000 houses in America alone. 

Real estate maven Ralph Roberts not only sold 500 houses last year – he bought 300 houses, each averaging about $50,000. He moves families at poverty level into the houses as renters. Over 8 years, he charges just 10% more per month and puts that aside for their down payment to purchase the property. Now, he's enrolled top Realtors across North America to do the same. 

Of course, each of these goals puts a tremendous amount of money into circulation. But as we work with families to create long-standing shelter, we're also reforming neighborhoods and school systems and, most importantly, helping raise self-esteem.