Orange County, Durham Habitat for Humanity Receiving Money from MacKenzie Scott Donation

The Orange County and Durham affiliates of Habitat for Humanity are receiving $9.5 million as part of a substantial gift to the U.S. organization announced Tuesday morning.

The national organization shared that author and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott is committing $436 million in unrestricted giving to 84 Habitat affiliates, as well as to Habitat for Humanity International. A release from Habitat said the donation will advance their vision “of a world where everyone has equitable access to a safe, decent and affordable place to call home.”

Respectively, the Orange Habitat organization received $5 million of the unrestricted funds and Durham Habitat received $4.5 million. Five other North Carolina affiliates also received donations from Scott: Asheville, Fayetteville, Catawba Valley, Craven County, the Charlotte Region and the NC Sandhills branches.

For Orange County’s Habitat, the donation comes as the nonprofit is increasing new home production. The local group is shifting from building approximately 12 homes per year to 20 as the community continues to see high demand for affordable housing. The branch is also embarking on broad projects to try and set a national standard, like the Weavers Grove community being constructed in Chapel Hill.

“The pandemic has exacerbated the housing crisis in Orange County,” said Jennifer Player, President and CEO of Orange Habitat, in Tuesday’s release. “This incredible donation will allow Orange Habitat to sustainably scale our impact and look ahead to future building opportunities. It is my hope that this gift will be a major accelerator, allowing us to serve even more families and ensure our organization’s future for years to come with more innovative communities like Crescent Magnolia and Weavers Grove.”

The Orange County affiliate recently shared a report on racial equity in housing that highlights the racial disparities in homeownership within the community. The report said two thirds of white households in Orange County own their homes, while just 44 percent of Black households do. The lack of ownership contributes to the racial wealth gap, according to the study, creating a cycle where Black families have less wealth to provide stability across generations.

Such racial inequity is what the Habitat International branch will be using its portion of Scott’s donation for. The affiliate is receiving $25 million and aims to “prioritize advocacy and programmatic efforts designed to dismantle systemic racism in housing.”

For a full list of Habitat for Humanity affiliates receiving donations from MacKenzie Scott, visit the nonprofit’s website.

Photo via Habitat for Humanity of Orange County.

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Orange County, Durham Habitat for Humanity Receiving Money from MacKenzie Scott Donation

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