Habitat for Humanity Picks New Leader Amid Turmoil

[quaoar]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/05/national/05habitat.html?

By STEPHANIE STROM
Published: August 5, 2005

Habitat for Humanity International, one of the country's most successful charities, named a new leader yesterday, hoping to preserve its donor base and put behind it the turmoil over the firing in January of its founder, who has started a rival charity.

Jonathan T. M. Reckford, who becomes the charity's chief executive, has a résumé that includes stints at Goldman, Sachs & Company, the Walt Disney Company, Best Buy Inc. and most recently as executive pastor at Christ Presbyterian Church in Edina, Minn. Mr. Reckford said that despite his almost 20 years in the private sector, his faith had always propelled him toward nonprofit work.

"When I left Circuit City for Best Buy, I was asked what I thought were the elements of the perfect job," he said in an interview. "It would have just about described Habitat in terms of a mission-oriented organization directly serving the poor with international scope and scale and a Christian focus."

He will face the challenge of retaining donors, some of whom are supporting Habitat's former leader, Millard Fuller, who has started a new charity after his ouster and was sued by Habitat for initially calling his organization Building Habitat - a name the organization considered too close to its own. Mr. Fuller said his charity would raise money to support Habitat and other organizations dedicated to providing housing for the poor.

[southlandshari]

1. Hmmmm...interesting.

Thanks for the link, quaoar.

As you well know, but just for the record (and for the NYTimes that didn't do a lot of digging for context on this one), Fuller's new organization is NOT a "rival charity". It's sole purpose is to raise money for those working to eliminate povery housing - primarily Habitat for Humanity affiliates. He just spoke at an affiliate fund raiser about 30 minutes away from here last Friday night.

:hi:

[quaoar]

3. Yes, I wish the new guy well

But he will have a long way to go to match Millard's zeal and charisma.

[ktowntennesseedem]

2. I hope they can all move on.

I just got back from this year's Jimmy Carter Work Project in Michigan, and it was a rousing success. And starting this weekend Habitat for Humanity will begin construction on their 200,000th house here in Knoxville. It will also house the 1,000,000th person who has been given a new beginning in life with decent, safe shelter. Exactly 24 minutes after this house is finished, the 200,001st house will be dedicated in India, in an area ravaged by the 2004 tsunami.

Habitat has such great potential for doing good, and I truly hope they can finally get this unfortunate event behind them and go forward to even greater accomplishments.