“In the spring of 1983,” GMHfH founding member Barbara Bull writes in her history of the chapter, “Eight people from Burlington, concerned about the scarcity of low-income housing in the area went down to Americus, Georgia.  They spent a week working on the housing construction sites at Habitat for Humanity there, and returned to Burlington convinced that the principles of Habitat could be put to work successfully in Vermont. At the same time, another group of people in Burlington were holding meetings to discuss how they could make the Habitat model a reality.  In 1984, the groups came together and formed Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity as an affiliate project of Habitat International.  They were incorporated in May, 1984, and the first meeting was held in August, 1984. The IRS granted 501(c) (3) status in February, 1985.  GMHfH was the first Habitat affiliate in Vermont.”

Bill Cleary, also one of GMHfH founders, recalls, “Habitat started here in Vermont because many folks knew about Millard Fuller and his mentor, Clarence Jordan, and their compassionate work.  With (spouse) Roddy and our youngsters I visited Fuller in Georgia, going there mainly to talk to Clarence Jordan at Koinonia Farm, and they sent us down the road to see what Fuller was doing. We were astonished.  We came back to Vermont to help get it all started.

I remember our early meetings seemed full of despair.  I often say it was like climbing a rope; so painful and hard it was.  No money, no land, few skills, and no public awareness.” 

Marylou Crooks is an original board member and longtime supporter of GMHfH. Her interest in the Habitat model goes back to the early 80’s when she too was inspired by the work of Millard Fuller and Clarence Jordan.  “A group of us held meetings and invited people from Burlington to talk about Habitat.  We knew we needed to raise money so someone built a cardboard house and we used that as a bank.  We didn’t get very far, until Martin Copenhaver, a pastor from First Congregational got involved.  He was taking groups of young people to work on housing projects.  When we connected, everything just took off.”

The group organized itself into committees using a guidebook from Habitat for Humanity International, eliciting funds and volunteers, and beginning the process of family selection. The very first house built by GMHfH was in Burlington’s New North End, dedicated in November, 1986. 

From that moment on, GMHfH was on its way.  Committed core volunteers representing area faith groups would serve on the board, and eventually two paid positions – an executive director and part-time accountant -- would round out the ever-rotating team of project volunteers, professionals and inexperienced alike. In the early years GMHfH built about one house per year for families in need.  Now, the average is closer to four.  In the process, board members conquered a learning curve of permitting, budgeting, and volunteer management issues.