The Giraffe Project commended Millard and Linda Fuller as "Giraffes" for abandoning their wealthy lifestyle to devote themselves to eliminating substandard housing around the world.
The founders of Habitat for Humanity, the Fullers gave away their fortune 23 years ago to live in accordance with their Christian beliefs. Relocating temporarily to a Christian community outside of Americus, Georgia, they were inspired to start a housing ministry when they saw the appalling living conditions of the poor in Americus and Sumter County.
Habitat operates by "kingdom economics"—they make no profit and offer no interest loans. $28,000 is the average price of a Habitat house in the States; $2,000 overseas. To qualify, potential buyers must have an income level too low to afford adequate housing; must be known locally as reliable, debt-paying people; must have the funds for the small down payment and the low monthly payments; and must contribute 250-1,000 hours sweat equity to the building of their house or their neighbor's house. Each buyer's money goes into a revolving "Fund for Humanity" and is used to build more houses. Almost all labor is donated by Habitat volunteers. Habitat has grown tremendously in its 13-year existence, spawning more than 500 projects including 77 abroad, and building more than 5,000 houses.
A lawyer and author as well as a former millionaire, Fuller now makes $14,900 a year as Habitat's Executive Director. (His wife Linda voluntarily chooses to make half of that as one of his assistants.) Winner of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award and the highest award given by the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, plus numerous other awards and honorary degrees, he has written 3 books about Habitat for Humanity. Millard and Linda are currently co-authoring a book about the growing work of Habitat for Humanity.
