Declaring Victory Over Poverty Housing

During the Jimmy Carter Work Project, Habitat for Humanity International and community leaders of the Sumter County Initiative declared victory over a quarter-century struggle against poverty housing in Sumter County, Ga.

In a ceremony at the “Victory House,” Millard Fuller, HFHI’s founder and president, said: “This county took a community-wide stand against substandard housing, and today no one in Sumter County is trapped in deplorable living conditions. Everyone has access to safe, clean, affordable shelter.”

Eight years ago, the Sumter County Initiative embarked on a campaign to ensure an opportunity for safe, decent housing for everyone in the county, which includes Americus (home to HFHI headquarters) and Plains (hometown of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter). The SCI has been a joint effort of Habitat for Humanity, businesses, churches, charities, private donors, and the leadership of the City of Americus and Sumter County.

“The battles won’t be over, but the war has been won,” said Judge George Peagler, president of SCI, at the celebration. “Now we must go into the surrounding counties, spread the message and work to wipe out substandard housing there.”

During the SCI effort, some 60,000 volunteer work-hours were invested in building or renovating more than 700 homes. Beyond improving lives, the homes built or renovated by the SCI will generate almost $100,000 in annual property tax revenue.

“I travel around the world each year, urging communities to declare war on poverty housing, and to set a date when they can declare victory,” said Fuller. “My exhortations are often met with disbelief, as communities ask themselves, ‘How can this be done?’ Here in Sumter County, we proved that it can be done. This war can be won.”








Reprinted from Habitat World Magazine, December 2000/January 2001.
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©2000 Habitat for Humanity International