Home for a Home

Home For A Home is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization driven by the belief that a safe, solid home can be the catalyst for dramatic and positive change in people's lives. Our mission is to provide homes for people in need.

Since 2012, we have focused our work in Guatemala, where more than half of the population lives in poverty and many families, especially in rural indigenous communities, live in homes with dirt floors, corn-stalk walls, and lack of access to clean water.

Our model is simple and sustainable: our donors, who we fittingly call our “Builders”, commit to funding homes through their business and personal networks, and every campaign that reaches its goal becomes a new home for a family. As of mid-2026, that goal is US$3,500 (the current cost of one home). Each home is made of earthquake-safe concrete block with a cement floor, a water filter, a clean-burning stove, and bunk beds, offering families a foundation for better health, security, and stability.

Home for a Home chooses to serve Guatemala because more than 2 million households face a housing deficit, and nearly 2 million families live in inadequate housing. Many live in huts with dirt floors, plastic or metal roofs, and corn stalks for walls. When we visit villages, we find smiling people, often in colorful traditional dress, with children playing while fathers and older brothers work in nearby coffee and corn fields. Smoke curls up from wood fires under big pots holding delicious meals. The beauty of the people and their culture can sometimes mask the difficulties they face.

Solutions Implemented by Home for a Home:

• Safe houses to call home - earthquake safe homes made of concrete block and rebar with concrete floors are secure and warm. After security, many families mention the homes being warm at night as their favorite feature. Studies in Mexico show that concrete floors reduce parasitic infestations by 78%, reduce incidence of diarrhea by 49%, and lead to a 96% increase in cognitive development. Kids read earlier and perform better in school. Hope and pride are powerfully transforming.
• Water filters - Home for a Home uses Sawyer water filters which remove 99.999% of all bacteria and locally made Ecofiltro water filters. Both make great tasting water in an easy to use pot. Mothers have directly told us that their kids are sick less and are more excited to drink water.
• Clean burning stoves - Guatemala has the worst air quality in Central America, so Home for a Home shopped for a local made clean stove. We use the Chispa home stove which is locally made and is specifically designed for Guatemalan cooking styles which require a big griddle for tortillas. The stoves reduce smoke particles by 98% and reduce the family wood bill by half - healthy and green.
• Basic sanitation - Most families do not have running water, so flushing toilets are not an option for most.
• Additional - Each home come with bunk beds and bedding, plus a bag of groceries as a housewarming gift.