Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Indiana

What Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Indiana does

Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Indiana is a nonprofit affordable housing organization founded in July 1986, headquartered in Gary, Indiana, and serving working families across Lake County. Its core function is the Homeownership Program, which partners with eligible families to build affordable homes using donated land, donated funds, and volunteer labor, with applications currently being accepted for new homes in Lake Station, Indiana. Since inception, the organization has served 150 working families and is marking its 40th anniversary in 2026.

The organization's service portfolio spans multiple revenue and engagement mechanisms. The ReStore in Griffith, Indiana is a retail outlet selling donated building materials, appliances, and home furnishings at discounted prices, with all proceeds directed to the local building program. Donations are accepted through individual giving, corporate sponsorships (displayed on the website), Faith Build, Honor Build, and Women Build initiatives, gifts of stock, legacy/planned giving, and the Cars for Homes vehicle donation program. The Attainable Homeownership Tax Credit (AHTC) program, facilitated through Habitat for Humanity of Indiana in partnership with the State of Indiana, provides donors with a 50% state tax credit (up to $10,000) on donations up to $20,000.

The organization operates a community-led, volunteer-driven go-to-market model relying on faith communities, corporate sponsors, and individual volunteers. It is a local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International and is led by Executive Director Jim Drader (appointed February 2026) and Director of Development and Community Engagement Jennifer Parham, with Chris Johnson serving as Board President. There is no evidence of a technology platform, AI/ML capabilities, or proprietary software; the business model is entirely conventional nonprofit charitable operations.

Name

Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Indiana

Legal name

Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Indiana

Website

https://nwihabitat.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Indiana is a nonprofit affordable housing organization founded in 1986 in Gary, Indiana, that builds and finances homes for working families in Lake County using donated funds, land, and volunteer labor, supported by a ReStore retail outlet and corporate and faith-based sponsors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Affordable Housing Services

NAICS

New Single-Family Housing Construction (except For-Sale Builders) (236115)

SIC

Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Residential Affordable Housing Development & Construction (IMAFABAI)

Keywords

• Affordable housing
• Nonprofit home building
• Homeownership programs
• Volunteer construction
• Home repair services

Headquarters

HQ city

Gary

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The organization raises funds through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and organizational gifts. Donors can contribute via secure online forms, Venmo, PayPal, phone, or mail. The organization also accepts gifts of stock, estate planned gifts, and land donations.
2. ReStore Retail Operations: The ReStore in Griffith, Indiana generates revenue by selling donated building materials, appliances, and home furnishings at discounted prices. All revenue supports the local building program.
3. Affordable Housing Tax Credit Program: Donors receive Indiana state tax credits equal to 50% of their donation (up to $10,000 in credits for $20,000 donations). This incentivizes larger donations while providing tax benefits to Indiana taxpayers.
4. Cars for Homes Vehicle Donation Program: Vehicle donations (cars, trucks, RVs, motorcycles, boats) are accepted through a national partnership, with proceeds directed to the local affiliate.
5. In-Kind Donations and Materials: The organization accepts donations of construction services, materials, and land to support building projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Indiana builds and sells affordable single-family homes in partnership with working, low-income families in Lake County and the surrounding Northwest Indiana region. Partner families contribute sweat-equity volunteer hours and attend homeowner education classes, then purchase the home through a zero-interest or affordable mortgage. The affiliate also provides critical home repair services for existing low-income homeowners and operates fundraising channels such as the Habitat ReStore.

Product overview

Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Indiana is a nonprofit affordable housing organization that operates a multi-faceted service portfolio centered on homeownership assistance. The core offering is the Homeownership Program, which builds affordable homes with donated land, funds, and volunteer labor for working families in Lake County, Indiana. Supporting this mission are the ReStore retail operation (selling donated building materials to fund construction), the Attainable Homeownership Tax Credit Program (enabling donors to receive 50% state tax credits), and volunteer initiatives including Faith Build, Honor Build, and Women Build. Additional services include Cars for Homes vehicle donations, gifts of stock, legacy/planned giving, and a formal homeownership application process for prospective partner families.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Affordable Homeownership Program (Partner Family Home Building) End-to-end program that builds single-family homes and sells them to qualified low- and moderate-income partner families via zero-interest or affordable mortgages, in exchange for sweat-equity volunteer hours and completion of homeowner education classes. Targeted at working families in Lake County and surrounding Northwest Indiana communities who lack access to conventional mortgage financing.
• Critical Home Repair Program Service that delivers critical repairs, accessibility modifications, and weatherization improvements to existing homes owned by low-income households, helping them remain in safe, affordable housing. Targeted at low-income homeowners in Northwest Indiana who cannot afford market-rate repair services.
• Homeowner Education and Counseling Required and supplemental classes covering budgeting, mortgage management, home maintenance, and financial literacy, preparing partner families for successful homeownership and long-term mortgage sustainability. Targeted at families enrolled in the Habitat homeownership pathway.
• Habitat ReStore (Retail Home Goods Store) Retail store(s) selling donated furniture, appliances, building materials, and home goods to the general public, with proceeds funding the affiliate's home-building mission. Targeted at general consumers and contractors seeking discounted home goods in Northwest Indiana.
• Volunteer Build Program Structured program that recruits, trains, and deploys community, corporate, and faith-based volunteer teams to assist with home construction, reducing labor costs. Targeted at individuals, corporate volunteer days, and faith-based or civic groups in Northwest Indiana.

Quantifiable outcome

• 150 working families served since 1986
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Flourish ChurchcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFlourish Church partnered with Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Indiana to increase homeownership in Gary, Indiana. The church raised $17,320 through a special collection to support construction of a Habitat home for a family in Lake County. Senior Pastor Dexter Harris expressed enthusiasm for the partnership and encouraged other faith leaders to join the cause.
• Corporate Sponsors (Centsible, Milne Supply, Strack & Van Till, Legacy Foundation, Lamber Concrete, First Merchants, McShane's Business Products, GAF Materials Corporation, DOW, Valspar, Mobile Mini, Stanley Black Decker, Yale, Diocese of Gary, Ozinga, Faith Church, Leeps Supply, Suncrest Christian Church, Franciscan Health, Whirlpool, Hunter Douglas, Cree, Torrenga Engineering)coreOthersMultiple corporate sponsors support the organization through donations, sponsorships, and in-kind contributions. These partners are displayed on the organization's website as part of their supporter recognition.
• Habitat for Humanity InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs a local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity, the organization benefits from the global brand, shared resources, training, and access to national programs like Cars for Homes.
• Habitat for Humanity of IndianacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level affiliate facilitates the Attainable Homeownership Tax Credit program in partnership with the State of Indiana. Donations to the state affiliate can be designated for the local Northwest Indiana chapter.
• Faith Organizations (various churches)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerFaith Build initiative engages multiple faith organizations including Suncrest Christian Church, Faith Church, Westminster Presbyterian Church, and others in collaborative homebuilding projects.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Habitat for Humanity Chicago: Urban Midwest Habitat affiliate serving low-income families through affordable home construction, ReStore retail, and volunteer build programs. Highly comparable operating model and donor/volunteer ecosystem, with a larger scale.
• Rebuilding Together Northwest Indiana: National nonprofit network with local affiliates providing home repair and rehabilitation services to low-income homeowners. Directly comparable mission, geographic overlap in NWI, and reliance on volunteer labor and donated materials.
• Habitat for Humanity of Greater Indianapolis: Indiana-based Habitat for Humanity affiliate operating a similar homeownership, ReStore, and volunteer-driven construction model. Comparable in nonprofit structure, funding mechanisms, and reliance on the Indiana AHTC, but serves a larger metropolitan market.

Broad incumbents

• Habitat for Humanity International: Global parent network providing brand, training, oversight, and programs (Cars for Homes, ReStore, tithe sharing) to all affiliates including the subject company. The umbrella organization whose resources and standards shape local affiliate operations.
• Fuller Center for Housing: National nonprofit building affordable housing through volunteer labor and no-profit, no-interest loans — directly analogous construction and partnership model, but operating nationally rather than as a local affiliate.

Regional players

• Habitat for Humanity of Michigan: State-level Habitat affiliate coordinating local chapters in a Rust-Belt housing market context analogous to Northwest Indiana. Comparable regional housing dynamics and affiliated operating model.
• Northwest Indiana Community Action Corporation: Regional anti-poverty nonprofit addressing housing instability, energy assistance, and self-sufficiency in Northwest Indiana. Operates in the same service geography with overlapping client base (low-income working families).
• East Chicago Housing Authority: Public housing authority serving East Chicago, Indiana with affordable housing programs. Geographic and mission overlap in Northwest Indiana affordable housing delivery, though structured as public housing rather than nonprofit homebuilding.
• Gary Housing Authority: Public housing authority serving Gary, Indiana with affordable rental housing programs. Operates in the same primary geography and addresses overlapping affordable-housing need, though via subsidized rental rather than homeownership construction.

Others

• Greater Chicago Food Depository (housing-adjacent nonprofit): Large regional social-services nonprofit serving low-income populations with overlapping donor/corporate-sponsor ecosystem. Comparable nonprofit operating model and Midwest geography, though focused on food insecurity rather than housing.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/HabitatNWI
• Facebookfacebook.com/habitatnwi
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/habitat-for-humanity-of-northwest-indiana

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Indiana