Through volunteer labor and tax-deductible donations of money and materials, Habitat builds and rehabilitates simple, decent houses with the help of the homeowner (partner) families. Habitat houses are sold to partner families at no profit and financed with affordable, no-interest loans. The homeowners' monthly mortgage payments go into a revolving Fund for Humanity that is used to build more houses. Habitat is not a give-away program. In addition to a 1% down payment and monthly mortgage payments, each homeowner family invests 500 hours of their own labor -- sweat-equity -- into the building of their house and the houses of others.