Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia
2025 Impact Report
40 Years of Building Community
As we reflect on the past 40 years, one thing is clear: the spirit that sparked this movement in 1985 is stronger than ever.
From our grassroots to our current scale, every nail hammered tells a story of resilience. Every door opened is the promise of a lasting partnership.
In Fiscal Year 2025, we worked alongside 1,628 Philadelphians—families, volunteers, and partners—each one contributing to our shared vision of a city where everyone has a decent place to live.
When challenges arise, we meet them with resolve and creativity. With your support, we adapt and persevere. Because the need is that urgent.
I truly believe Habitat is built for this moment—to boldly lead a movement that creates a strong foundation for every family in our city.
Take a look at the moments that made up this year and see the impact that happens when we build together.
Between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025, Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia:
- Partnered with 16 first-time homeowners to unlock the stability and equity that come with affordable homeownership.
- Completed 150 critical home repairs to preserve the safety and dignity of longtime residents.
- Processed 88,482 donated items through the ReStores to keep usable goods out of landfills and generate vital revenue to fund affordable housing.
- Advocated for Philadelphia’s HOME Initiative, supporting a bold vision to build or preserve 30,000 affordable housing units citywide.
- Hired three more Carpentry Fellows for a year-long, hands-on program that builds pathways to family-sustaining careers in construction.
- Convened the Beloved Community to raise $706,661 at the 16th annual Building Hope Luncheon, fueling our mission and deepening our collective impact.
- Injected $10.2 million into the local economy by hiring local trades, suppliers, and small businesses—strengthening the communities where we live and work.
Your support makes this work possible. On behalf of our entire Habitat Philadelphia team and every family whose life has been changed by affordable housing—thank you for building alongside us, then and now.
Here’s to the next 40 years as we build more hope, homes, and community!
In partnership,
Corinne O’Connell
Chief Executive Officer
Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia
homeownership
16
new homes built or sold to first-time buyers
31
residents served through our homeownership program
$9,444
average amount of down payment assistance sourced per household
take a closer look
25 residents are African American or Black
15 more children now live in a Habitat Philadelphia home
11 households headed by women
2 residents on active military duty
2 households transitioned from affordable rentals, opening up much-needed housing units
2 residents with accessibility needs
1 new homeowner over the age of 50
coltrane commons
multi-family housing marks a new milestone
Our Coltrane Commons development in Strawberry Mansion marked a major milestone —our first-ever multi-family development—an innovative step toward scaling our impact.
Comprised of four duplexes and one triplex, these buildings are now home for 11 families, with easy access to all Philadelphia has to offer, including beautiful Fairmount Park just across 33rd Street.
For this project, we hired a General Contractor for the first time. Full Court Construction brought expert partnership to the project, helping us deliver high-quality, affordable homes more efficiently.
With expert pro bono legal guidance from Ballard Spahr LLP, we also established our first Homeowner Association, ensuring long-term sustainability and resident leadership.
This project exemplifies our commitment to increasing density and deepening impact—building more homes, for more families, in the communities that need them most.
Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia has gotten into the condo business. Here’s why.
The Philadelphia Inquirer
December 19, 2024
benchmark group
four more families served through new partnership
Habitat’s homeownership program is the foundation of our work—partnering with families to remove barriers to accessing a safe, affordable home.
Through a new partnership with local developer, Benchmark, we matched four qualified families to newly rehabbed homes in Brewerytown, leveraging our expertise to serve more families without the upfront cost of construction.
When we build relationships and embrace innovation, we expand our impact.
avondale street
rehabilitated homes help build careers
As two classes of Carpentry Fellows moved through our new workforce development program, rehab properties like the 2-bed, 1-bath rowhome on Avondale Street in West Philadelphia became their classroom.
Over a 12-month term, Fellows earn a living wage while learning the foundational skills needed for a career in residential carpentry. Through this program, supported by the Philadelphia Energy Authority, six individuals gained hands-on experience that has prepared them to pursue higher-paying, stable jobs in the construction industry.
In June 2025, the Fellows were proud to present the keys to new owner Raphael as he completed his journey homeward.
New Philly program offers aspiring carpenters on-the-job training
WHYY / PlanPhilly
September 25, 2024
home repair
150
households served through critical home repairs
71%
of homes with a female head of household
52%
of homes with residents older than 65
take a closer look
71% of owners or residents are African American or Black
20% with disabled residents
19% of homeowners with dependents
7% of homeowners are veterans
116 repairs in North Philadelphia and West Philadelphia
1,000 homes repaired
everyone deserves a home that is safe, warm and dry
We know that critical home repairs preserve independence and keep families in the homes and communities they love.
Over the past three years, we’ve scaled our program to double capacity – with the goal to serve 200 families per year with repairs such as roofs, kitchens, foundations and heating systems.
Ms. Prince provides for her daughter and three grandchildren. Her roof was leaking and her heater was decades old.
After partnering with Habitat, her family is comfortable and healthy. Thanks to the support of generous funders and community partners, more families can live with the peace of mind a stable home provides.
Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia marks 1,000th home repair
habitatphiladelphia.org
November 15, 2024
callalily cousar
a lifetime of building community
For more than fifty years, Callalily Cousar has been a cornerstone of the East Parkside community — a neighbor, mentor, and advocate whose warmth and generosity have shaped generations of Philadelphians. From building Habitat homes to receiving critical home repairs herself, Ms. Cousar’s life is a testament to the power of community and the impact of a safe, stable home.
judith and naima
a story of home preserved
“My house is my everything. I was born and raised here.”
The Gripper family was in danger of losing their home after a major structural failure. Our team found the job was too big to fix on our own—but we raised our voice to keep the bulldozer away and found a way to partner with the city to save the home.
Watch A Story of Home Preserved
volunteers
7,081
total hours volunteered
1,324
individual and group volunteers
76
volunteer engagement events
the heart of our mission
compassion becomes impact
Each year, hundreds of volunteers roll up their sleeves to build community alongside fellow supporters and future homeowners. Every door framed and wall painted generates momentum and creates lasting change.
To meet the incredible need for decent, affordable homes, we need every individual, company, and organization working together.
Thank you to all who support our mission with their time, energy and commitment.
Habitat for Humanity kicks off group volunteer blitz with all-woman crew in West Philly
KYW Newsradio
September 17, 2024
the ReStore
88,482
items donated
$1,794,522
in ReStore sales
29,657
total shoppers
shop. donate. volunteer.
retail with a purpose
The ReStore is our discount home improvement store and donation center, offering unique, secondhand furniture and brand-new home essentials at a fraction of the retail price.
This year, we partnered with many generous donors, including The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS), Temple University and a variety of local businesses that gifted gently-used items and overstock inventory to be sold in the ReStore.
Instead of heading to the landfill or sitting on a curb, each quality piece found a new home and purpose right here in Philadelphia, generating nearly $1.8 million in sales and opening doors of opportunity alongside local families.
Temple collaborates with Habitat for Humanity to address abandoned furniture
The Temple News
April 29, 2025
advocacy
uniting all around the cause of affordable housing
Everyone deserves to build the foundation for a stable, healthy future for themselves and their families — no matter who they are, where they live or how much money they earn.
At Habitat Philadelphia, we advocate for new solutions and a deeper commitment to increase affordable homeownership supply, ensure equitable homeownership access and improve homeownership resilience. Join us.
an ambitious plan for our city
We are part of a broad coalition supporting the ambitious Housing Opportunities Made Easy (H.O.M.E.) Initiative launched by Mayor Cherelle Parker and the Philadelphia City Council.
The H.O.M.E. Initiative’s goal is to build, restore, and preserve 30,000 homes to address Philadelphia’s housing shortage, bolstered by $2 billion in public sector funding and a significant contribution of publicly-owned land for new housing development.
We engaged in the planning for the initiative, helped organize testimony at public hearings, met one-on-one with city council members, and promoted neighborhood town halls to educate the community and receive feedback.
When people have the stable foundation of home, their world opens up.
Supporting Philadelphia’s H.O.M.E. Initiative
habitatphiladelphia.org
February 19, 2025
a stronger commonwealth
In Pennsylvania, one in eight households spend more than half of their income on housing, and the supply of affordable homes is dwindling.
Habitat affiliates across PA are producing and preserving affordable homes, but without zoning and land use reform, permanent funding for a statewide repair program, and more support for first time home buyers, the housing crisis will only deepen.
For the second year, we facilitated a Habitat Day of Action in Harrisburg and scheduled 74 one-on-one meetings with state legislators to advance these causes.
PA Habitat Leaders Call on Elected Officials to Increase Statewide Funding for Home Repair Programs
habitatphiladelphia.org
May 7, 2025
40 years of building community
Forty years strong! This year, Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia proudly celebrated our 40th anniversary. Since 1985, we’ve partnered with first-time homebuyers, passionate volunteers, and community champions to build and repair homes that create lasting stability. In celebration, we’ve looked back through our archives to share the stories and milestones that define our work and look ahead to the bold impact we can create with your support.
building hope luncheon
The 2025 Building Hope Luncheon was an unforgettable celebration. Our Habitat community came together — nearly 800 strong — to recognize 40 years of building strength and stability alongside Philadelphia families. Together, we raised more than $706,000 to build and preserve affordable housing in our city.
Keynote speakers Reverend Carolyn C. Cavaness and Reverend Rebecca Kirkpatrick grounded us in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Beloved Community and the importance of being in relationship with our neighbors — across races, faiths, and different backgrounds.
An inspiring program that reminded us, once again, why we build together, the Building Hope Luncheon would not have been possible without the hundreds of supporters, advocates, partners and families we work alongside every day.
honoring a life of service
In honor of President Jimmy Carter’s passing, the Habitat Philadelphia community gathered at City Hall to sign a ‘door of opportunity’ that symbolized the countless doors the Carters opened through 40+ years with Habitat for Humanity.
President Carter spent much of his time post-presidency dedicated to Habitat for Humanity and helped to build 4,390 homes alongside more than 104,000 volunteers in 14 countries. The Carters’ legacy of compassion and service continues today as we remember their emphasis on our shared humanity and build more homes alongside families in our city.
Featured in the video, Habitat homeowner and Board Member, Clissita Daniels shares the personal impact affordable homeownership has made on her family.
a transformative gift
In October 2024, the Haines Family Foundation announced a transformative $3 million gift to Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia — a powerful investment that will directly support the construction of new homes in West Philadelphia for at least 28 families, expand our home rehabilitation pipeline, and strengthen organizational capacity for future work.
This milestone donation came as the Haines Family Foundation prepares to sunset after 30 years of philanthropy, having awarded more than $20 million in grants across Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey.
Bringing the Foundation’s lifetime contributions to $5.8 million, this legacy gift represents a lasting commitment to affordable housing and community revitalization — helping more families move from precarious housing to stable, thriving homes.
investing in community
economic impact
Paid $10.2 million to small and local vendors and contractors for work on new home and home repair construction, architecture, engineering and facilities
workforce development
Hired a second cohort of Carpentry Fellows — three staff members trained with an instructor to gain the skills and certifications needed to work in construction full-time
estate planning
Seven homeowners created estate plans through pro bono counsel facilitated by Habitat Philadelphia
a global village
Habitat Philadelphia tithed $30,000 to support seven families through our partnership with Habitat Nicaragua
our vision
is a city where everyone has a decent place to live.
our mission
is to transform lives and our city by building and repairing homes in partnership with families in need and uniting all Philadelphians around the cause of affordable homeownership.
our core values
guide our work and culture locally. We are builders. We work alongside, not for, others. We are driven by accountability and defined by our stick-to-it-tiveness.
our habitat family
This year and for the past 40 years — every moment has built a community of hope alongside families in our city. With a strong, stable foundation, we can grow our impact and inspire action so that everyone has a decent, affordable place to live. Thank you for your support.