Helping Habitat for Humanity International Eliminate Poverty Housing Worldwide
Booz Allen helps organization scale its operations in order to significantly extend its mission.
More than 1.6 billion people around the world live in poverty housing, and another 100 million are homeless. Keeping those overwhelming statistics in mind, Habitat for Humanity International—a nonprofit Christian housing ministry working in nearly 90 countries around the globe—aims to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness worldwide.
Since Habitat’s founding in 1976, it has helped thousands of low-income families break the cycle of poverty through affordable, decent housing. Over the past 33 years, Habitat has built nearly 300,000 houses, providing durable, affordable shelter for about 1.5 million people in more than 3,000 communities around the world.
“We serve about 40,000 families a year. That might sound like a big number, but it’s a drop in the bucket compared to the number of families in need of affordable housing. And frankly, at that rate, we’re losing the war,” says John Cerniglia, Habitat’s Senior Director – Leadership Giving & Development Services.
Spurred on by CEO Jonathan Reckford, Habitat’s leadership team recognized that they needed to take the ministry to the next level—as Booz Allen Hamilton Principal Dan O’Keefe says, “so Habitat can have a much greater impact.” To do that, Mr. Reckford called on Booz Allen for help with two major initiatives—harnessing the power of Habitat globally and developing and implementing the world’s largest capital campaign.
Booz Allen Senior Vice President Reggie Van Lee explains, “Habitat wanted to do more. They wanted a strategy, a new plan that would allow them to scale their operations so they could extend their mission in a significant way.” And so “One Habitat”—an organizational and strategic construct empowering the ministry to operate as an institution versus a loose confederation of affiliates—was born, building on similar work the firm has done with Special Olympics and World Vision.
But that was only the beginning. According to Booz Allen Senior Associate Kenny Murphy, “Habitat truly believes they can rewrite mankind’s history” by eliminating poverty housing and all its associated problems. Turning that vision into reality will take billions of dollars from donors and investors. So the team called on Booz Allen's officers to help develop specific messages that will garner billions of dollars, which Habitat will use to build thousands more houses, provide financing capabilities, and fund advocacy efforts.
Mark Crozet, Habitat’s Senior Vice President – Development, says, “What surprises me most about the Booz Allen team is their passion for the work we do.” CEO Reckford agrees: “The power of Booz Allen is to be able to come alongside an organization and help them realize their dreams.”
story posted July 9, 2008
Additional Information:
- Watch a video about Habitat for Humanity International and their efforts to eliminate poverty housing — Windows Media 56k, 100k, and 220k — Real Player 56k, 100k, and 200k
