The Family Support Committee is designed to strengthen the partnership between the Partner Family, homeowner, and those who desire to help build houses with people in need. The partnership does not end when the building phase is complete but endures through the entire home ownership experience.

The foundational principles of Habitat for Humanity have not only survived the test of time, but have endured through varied geographies, cultures and economies. In some areas of our work the program continues to develop and improve in order to embody these principles more fully. Nowhere are these changes more dramatic than in our efforts to foster the people-to-people partnership with those who come to own Habitat homes. Over the years the Habitat ministry has moved from:

building houses for people in need → building houses with people in need

a 12-month or more lease-purchase period → immediate transfer of title upon completion

a Family Nurture Committee → a Family Support Committee

Another indicator of this gradual transformation is that "Family Support," formerly just an add-on to "Family Selection," is now its own committee. A few years ago we understood the importance of family support, but lacked the experience and therefore the material to assist this committee to function properly. We now have a better understanding of the process and procedures for managing a good family support program.

Chairman: David B. Owen