Guest post by Bo Miller, the current Chair of Habitat for Humanity International U.S. Council

A need we share

Across the world today, there is a fundamental need for a safe, stable place to call home with an estimated 1.6 billion people living in inadequate housing or lacking safe shelter altogether.  

In the United States, millions of families are cost-burdened, spending a significant share of their income on housing. For many, that means making difficult choices between rent or mortgage payments and other basic needs. For renters working toward homeownership, the path can feel increasingly out of reach. 

Whether in our community or across the globe, many of the same barriers exist, including access to land, the cost of construction, financing, and the need for supportive communities. 

That’s why Habitat’s model is built to work both locally and globally.

Built for local and global impact 

For nearly 50 years, Habitat has brought people together to build and improve homes in partnership with families. What began as a grassroots effort in a small Georgia community has grown into a movement that has served more than 62 million people in over 60 countries. 

Beyond building homes, Habitat is working to expand access to affordable housing through financing solutions, neighborhood revitalization, and advocacy for policies that remove barriers to development. Across the country, Habitat is increasing the pace of construction, preserving existing homes through repair programs, and finding new ways to build more efficiently.

Your role in something bigger 

Your local Habitat recently broke ground on the Humanity Street Neighborhood Development, where they will build 14 new homes in partnership with the Alden B. Dow Home and Studio. These Alden B. Dow Habitat Homes draw on our community’s design legacy while expanding access to affordable homeownership in our community. 

This effort reflects what the Habitat in your community does best, bringing together an understanding of local needs, partners, volunteers, thoughtful design, investment, and future homeowners to create solutions that are practical, meaningful and lasting.  

When you invest your time, resources, or support locally, you are part of something much bigger than a single home or project. You are helping advance a global effort to ensure more families have the stability and opportunity that a safe, affordable home provides.

Bo Miller is the current Chair of Habitat for Humanity International U.S. Council, as well as a former member of the Habitat for Humanity International Board of Directors from 2015–2022. Previously he served as the Global Director of Corporate Citizenship of Dow, Inc. and is also the former President and Executive Director of The Dow Foundation.