Habitat for Humanity – Its Founding, by Lynn Cairns
[Gettysburg Times, November 2, 2022]
What do President Jimmy Carter, 39th president of the United States, Hamilton Jordan, advisor and chief of staff to President Carter, and Millard Fuller, founder of Habitat for Humanity, share in common? They were all acquainted with – and influenced by – the Rev. Dr. Clarence Jordan, founder of Koinonia Farm in 1942, an inter-racial experimental farm in rural Georgia, where residents shared “all things in common.”
President Carter who had the opportunity to meet important and influential people from around the world said that “none had impressed him any more than Clarence Jordan.” Hamilton Jordan was a second cousin to Dr. Jordan and against family wishes visited Koinonia Farms as a young man and was impressed with his uncle. Millard Fuller and his wife were going through a rough patch in their lives and wanted something more than just success and money. They decided to visit Koinonia Farms for some inspiration, thinking they would stay a few hours. Two weeks later they left to contemplate their future.
Several years later the Fullers and their children moved to the farm as residents. Millard was a successful businessman and planner, so Clarence shared his vision of the future for the Koinonia community. They had countless conversations during which Millard recalled he “received a graduate level education in theology and Christian living.” Even while sharing in milking the farm’s cow, with each taking two ‘spickets,’ they discussed the need to love God, the land, and our fellow human beings. They also discussed future directions for Dr. Jordan’s movement, which had suffered through a decade of persecution during the civil rights era because of its inter-racial harmony. In 1969 Koinonia Partners Incorporated was formed and the work of serving the needs of the community was expanded.
Tragically, Clarence Jordan died of a heart attack in late 1969. As a response to his legacy, money and volunteers poured in to support the movement. Out of this enthusiasm and energy, Koinonia Partnership Housing was born to alleviate the shortage of affordable housing in the area. The first house was built locally in 1970. The movement grew, more houses were built and Millard and his wife, Linda, began a dream of taking the movement world- wide. The board of Koinonia Partnership decided not to go international, but supported Millard and Linda in doing so. In 1976 the community helped them move to nearby Americus, GA, to begin Habitat for Humanity. Headquarters were established and chapters were started around the country (even here in Gettysburg) and throughout the world.
The work of Habitat continued and by early 1992, although nearly 300 local homes had been built in the surrounding area of Americus, Fuller realized that the needs for decent housing were still immense. So he came up with a bold proposal to eliminate all sub-standard housing in Sumter County, Georgia. To do this, he enlisted the support of government, business leaders and former President Jimmy Carter. The board was reluctant to sign up for such an ambitious goal, but Fuller, at 6”4”, jumped up on the table and sold the board on the plan.
The combined group of leaders decided to do a blitz build of twenty homes on Holy Week of 1993. The 20th home completed locally would then be the 20,000th home built by Habitat International. They received national media attention in part because Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, actress Jane Fonda, and CNN showed up for the build. From that time forward Habitat has had recognition and support around the country and the world. Mr. Fuller, its founder, passed away on Feb. 3, 2009.
In 1988 a group from Gettysburg College, under the leadership of Chaplain Karl Mattson, received their college charter from the hands of President Carter in Georgia. Once home, they enlisted the support of other community leaders to start a local chapter. In a recent local “blitz build” in Cashtown, we brought under roof our 43rd home. So the work continues here in Adams County and you can be a part of this housing initiative by supporting it financially or by volunteering some good “ole” hard work. Thanks for your past and future help with a “hand up” for those seeking affordable housing.
Lynn Cairns is a board member of the Adams County chapter of Habitat for Humanity.