Contractor/Builder - Through volunteer labor, management expertise and tax-deductible donations of money and materials, Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis builds homes with the help of the homeowners who contribute through their sweat equity commitment of a minimum of 350 hours. Houses are then sold at no profit to partner families. The sale price of a HFHSL home varies as it is dependent on various sources of soft cost (neighborhood expenses such as land acquisition, environmental issues, site development) funding. However, the initial monthly loan payment is generally $385. This amount includes principal, taxes and insurance, and $15 for major repair reserve.

Neighborhood Revitalizer- By building homes in often dilapidated neighborhoods, Habitat sets the stage for further development. Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis turns forgotten areas into new, quality neighborhoods and gives homeowners the tools to be vested in their homes and communities. Our homes often provide a spark of redevelopment and it is not uncommon for Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis to be the "trailblazer" in a neglected area. Success is also measured when our homes appraise for values that benefit the property owners around the area--which they always do.

Recycler - The "recycler" aspect of Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis is a much touted endeavor that began in 1997. That year, Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis became the first affiliate within the Heartland Region to open a Habitat ReStore retail facility. The ReStore's mission is to recycle overstocked, seconds, used, discontinued and salvageable building materials donated by contractors, retail entities and individuals. Those items are then sold to the general public with the proceeds benefiting Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis's build program. The ReStore's business strategy is to sell a wide selection of donated new and used quality building materials to "do-it-yourself" customers in the St. Louis region at greatly reduced prices. The ReStore is the only entity in the St. Louis area that provides these services. ReStore customers are able to tackle residential projects at an affordable price and benefit the environment as well, since many of the donated items would otherwise end up in landfills.

Family Support Services - In addition to building homes, Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis's goal is to "provide families a hand up, not a hand out". We do this by providing homeownership preparation and on going family support to partner families, which is imperative to ensure successful homeowners. In preparing partner families for home ownership, we offer many self-enriching, community oriented workshops, some of which are required, others that are optional. The required workshops are: (1) Finance & Budgeting, and (2) Home Maintenance & Repair. The optional workshops offered by Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis include: (1) Successful Parenting, (2) Domestic Violence, (3) Federation Block Unit, and (4) Community Building. Additionally, we facilitate the education of our partner families on the responsibilities and privileges of home ownership, working in collaboration with other not-for-profits and corporations. Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis offers continuous support to families, assisting with many issues ranging from daycare concerns to career enhancement. The overall goal in the family support program is to give partner families ample preparation for home ownership, connect families with neighborhoods, and build better communities.