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Please join us on Thursday evening, February 25, for an inspiring, fun-filled evening as we bring our community together with a free live-streaming celebration over Zoom.

Meet our families and hear their inspiring stories, learn about our exciting expansion and how you can get involved, help us build our largest project since our founding in 1985—brick by brick—without ever leaving home, win prizes and so much more!

You can also become a Gala sponsor to raise funds for future projects.

Home is where hope begins, and we hope you will join us from yours!

Details and RSVP >>

Morris Habitat Expands into Central New Jersey

After celebrating 35 years of providing safe, decent and affordable housing for families in the Morris County area, Morris Habitat for Humanity is expanding into central New Jersey in November 2020 by acquiring the service area of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Plainfield & Middlesex County. The combined organization will operate under the Morris Habitat for Humanity brand.

The acquisition will effectively double Morris Habitat’s service area to 68 municipalities spanning one thousand square miles in Morris, Middlesex and parts of Union and Somerset Counties.* Plans to efficiently leverage donations, corporate support and a volunteer workforce will enable our expanded affiliate to create more opportunities for affordable housing and community improvement through new home construction, home repairs and neighborhood revitalization.

Since 1985, Morris Habitat has served more than 600 families through building 120 local homes, preserving 200 homes for low-income and senior residents, and helping 280 families with housing solutions worldwide. We have engaged more than 130,000 volunteers for our various programs. Morris Habitat also operates a successful ReStore home improvement outlet which has kept 11,000 tons of reusable materials out of landfills and funded 28 homes.

Accomplishments for the Greater Plainfield & Middlesex County affiliate include serving more than 106 families through its homeownership, repair, and international homebuilding programs since 1989.

As the last eight months have demonstrated, we are stronger together. By uniting our affiliates, we are poised to make a greater impact on the communities we serve during these unprecedented times.

*Serving Fanwood, Plainfield, Scotch Plains, Green Brook, North Plainfield and Watchung in Union and Somerset Counties.

The ReStore’s new online Discount Building Supply store opened on November 2, 2020. You can now shop and pay on the Discount Building Supply web site for building supplies such as flooring, doors, millwork, windows, countertops, sinks, vanities and tools. You will also find an ever-changing selection of DIY home improvement products for sale. New products at great prices are added daily.

After focusing on how thankful we are on Thanksgiving Day and then shopping online on Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday is a day to give back to the community or to a non-profit of your choice.

This year we hope you will consider supporting us on Tuesday, December 1, 2020.

It is quick and easy to make a contribution using our secure online donation form.

Please check with your employer to see if they are offering matching donations, either on Giving Tuesday or any day throughout the remainder of the year. You can search this directory of matching employers, although it may not be a comprehensive list.

You can also donate by shopping:

• Shop for new and gently-used building supplies and furnishings at the ReStore in Randolph.
• Choose Morris Habitat for Humanity as your charity of choice when shopping online. If you start your shopping at AmazonSmile, Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible purchases to the charitable organization of your choice. Or shop through GoodShop to find coupon offers from more than 30,000 stores when you click “Shop Now.” An average of 3% of your online purchase amount will go to Morris Habitat as your designated charity.

We appreciate all contributions and accept them throughout the year. They will be used to build safe, decent affordable housing for local families in need.

Morris Habitat for Humanity commemorated 35 years of building homes, communities and hope with a celebration at its headquarters in Randolph on October 22, 2020. Joined by local elected officials, donors, volunteers, Habitat homeowners and friends, the nonprofit organization reflected on its successes and shared plans for the future.

“This is a glorious day to bring the community together to celebrate 35 years of providing safe, decent and affordable housing for local families in need,” said CEO Blair Schleicher Wilson. “But we build more than just homes—we empower families to build brighter futures for generations to come.”

Octavia Chavis, Morris Habitat’s very first homeowner, agreed. Back in 1985, she and her husband, Willie, moved from apartment to apartment with their three young sons. Even though both held full-time jobs, homeownership was out of their reach.

“I am so grateful that Morris Habitat came into our lives,” Chavis told the crowd, as she described how her family has grown and thrived. Chavis recalled how the couple put in more than five hundred hours of sweat equity while building their home in Morristown, starting the model of partnership with homeowner families that provides a “hand up, not a handout.”

Sandy Jones also spoke about becoming a homeowner with Habitat. With the security of living in one place, her four daughters have all gone on to higher education or successful careers  She continues to be a Morris Habitat volunteer and has even traveled to work on Blitz Builds around the country.

Rev. Alison Paden of First Presbyterian Church in Mendham gave a blessing.

In his speech, State Senator Anthony Bucco remarked that Morris Habitat “is the perfect model for achieving the American dream of home ownership and of the community coming together to give families a sense of hope.” Senator Bucco and Assemblywoman Aura Dunn presented a proclamation from New Jersey to Morris Habitat, honoring its work over 35 years.

From humble beginnings of building one or two houses a year, Morris Habitat has grown into one of the most active Habitat affiliates in New Jersey. In the last decade alone, the organization completed 74 affordable homes—and more than 100 projects are planned over the next four years.

Since 1985, Morris Habitat has served more than 600 families, built 120 local homes, and preserved another 200 homes for low-income and senior residents.

The organization has engaged more than 130,000 volunteers for its various programs. The affiliate also operates a successful ReStore home improvement outlet in Randolph that has kept 11,000 tons of reusable materials out of landfills and funded 28 homes.

According to Schleicher Wilson, these achievements have served to energize the organization. “Next summer we will be breaking ground on Morris Habitat’s largest project in the state—25 condo units, right here in Randolph.”

The project is being constructed in partnership with Randolph Township, which donated the property on Bennett Avenue. Four buildings will contain one-, two- and three-bedroom condos. Families will be able to use a community meeting room, sidewalks, bike path, outdoor picnic area and playground.  The complex will be handicap accessible and will meet the highest standards of energy efficiency and safety. Steve Westhoven, President and CEO of New Jersey Natural Gas, presented Morris Habitat with a $35,000 donation for this project.

Randolph Mayor Christine Carey highlighted the Bennett Avenue project in her remarks: “Several years ago, we joined forces with Morris Habitat on a plan for the development of 25 housing units on the former E.A. Porter industrial site.  I am happy this project is coming to fruition. I can’t wait to see the results, the new homes and the happy families and homeowners.”

To support families on their path to homeownership and to celebrate our 35^th anniversary, donate $35 or more and receive this limited-edition handmade commemorative keepsake, while supplies last.

This one-of-a-kind keepsake is 100% made in the USA from solid brass and finished with 24k gold.

Donate online to receive your keepsake by mail, or make your donation in person at the Morris Habitat for Humanity Restore register.

Your gift will help fuel the fight for safe, decent, and affordable housing right here in Morris County.

Everyone deserves a decent place to live.

On World Habitat Day, the first Monday of October, Habitat for Humanity joins the United Nations and organizations around the world in raising awareness, educating, and mobilizing individuals and communities to take action on the current global housing crisis.

A decent place to live can remove barriers to opportunity, health and success that might have been part of a family’s life for years, if not generations. Through shelter, we empower.

Lack of access to land is often at the heart of inadequate housing.

To build a shelter and make it a home, a family needs to know they have rights and won’t be evicted. Ensuring access to land — meaning the laws about who owns and has rights to land — is one of the top priorities for Habitat for Humanity. Removing current barriers to access would benefit millions of people around the world. Improvements would include greater gender equality, increased disaster resilience and decreased slum conditions. Improving access to land can increase economic growth, address inequalities and reduce poverty.

We invite you to support our efforts in these ways.

With your help, we can improve lives and communities — at home and around the globe.

• Pray for shelter.
• Learn how you can take action in the United States through our Cost of Home advocacy campaign.
• Advocate for improved access to land for shelter through the Solid Ground global advocacy campaign.
• Take action for housing advocacy by following the tips on our Advocacy page.
• Make a donation to the work of Morris Habitat for Humanity.
• Organize a team build day for a group of volunteers.
• Visit the Morris Habitat ReStore to shop, donate or volunteer. Your support helps Morris Habitat accomplish its mission in your community.
• Spread the word about the need for shelter on your social media network using the hashtag #WorldHabitatDay, and invite your followers and friends to find out more about Habitat and World Habitat Day.