Greene County Habitat for Humanity builds four to six houses each year and typically has 10–12 families participating in our Family Partner Training Program at any given time. Our goal is to help each partner become a successful, long-term homeowner, so we carefully select families who are motivated, financially progressing, and committed to the process.

Once accepted, each partner family is paired with a mentor who walks alongside them through the entire program. Applications are generally accepted once a year, and the path involves much more than simply qualifying financially. Families complete a variety of educational courses covering financial literacy, home maintenance, auto care, insurance, fire safety, health and wellness, healthy cooking, child advocacy, and career planning.

Participants also contribute at least 250 hours of “sweat equity,” working on Habitat builds and community projects. Throughout the program, families focus on improving their credit, managing their budgets, and reaching their financial goals. Once a family has successfully completed the program and is ready for homeownership, they can apply to purchase an affordable Habitat home—making the dream of a safe, stable, and secure future a reality.

How to get into the family partnering training program?

The criteria for acceptance into Greene County Habitat for Humanity’s family training partnering program is similar to those for a typical affordable mortgage, with an added focus on Habitat’s mission to provide decent, affordable housing to families living in substandard conditions.

To qualify, a family must:

• Earn less than 80% of the median income for their family size, yet have sufficient income to afford a Habitat mortgage.
• Have manageable debt levels, with the potential to reduce debt to an acceptable percentage for mortgage approval.
• Currently live or work in Greene County.