The City of Brundidge is home to four Habitat for Humanity houses. Probably few people know that. And, there are also those who know little about Habitat for Humanity and the service it provides.

Dr. John Dew, secretary of Troy-Pike Habitat for Humanity, was the program guest of the Brundidge Rotary Club Wednesday. He provided the Rotarians with information about what Habitat for Humanity does and what it does not do.

“Habitat for Humanity does not give people houses,” he said. “Habitat for Humanity is a faith-based organization that partners with families to help build houses and eliminate poverty housing.”

Dew said applicants for Habitat housing are carefully screened and are selected based on the level of need, their willingness to become partners in the program and their ability to repay the loan.

Because most of the applicants would not be able to save enough money to make a down payment on a house, those who are selected are required to make their down payment through sweat equity.

“Sweat equity is work that is put in on, not only their house, but another house or houses,” Dew said. “The work is done in place of a down payment.”

Dew said a Habitat homeowner assumes a 20-year, no-interest loan and the monthly mortgage payments are used to build more Habitat houses.

Troy-Pike Habitat for Humanity has 11 houses, most of which are in Brundidge and Troy. Only a couple are in the county.

“Our twelfth house on Martin Luther King in Troy has been a challenge,” Dew said. “After we go the house up, there was a problem with the foundation. But we were fortunate that we were able to purchase a nearby lot where we poured a foundation and had the house picked up and moved to the new location.”

The local Habitat is taking applications for the thirteenth area Habitat house and Dew said it can be heartbreaking to have to make a selection.

“But sometimes the situation is such that a family would not be able to make the monthly payments, which are usually between $200 and $250, depending on the size of the house,” he said. “Habitat houses cost between $55,000 and $60,000.

“We have built a three-bedroom Habitat house, but most of them are two bedrooms with one bath. Habitat builds inexpensive, basic houses in an effort to get families out of shacks.”

Work on the Habitat houses is primarily volunteer, however, electrical and plumbing work is sometimes contracted.

Dew said volunteers are always needed and their efforts are greatly appreciated, as are donations to Habitat. For more information, call (334) 372-7578.