Indy Habitat for Humanity acquires Hamilton County affiliate

The Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity is now offering services in Hamilton County after acquiring the north-suburban affiliate.

The consolidated organization’s territory now includes Hendricks, Hancock, Marion and Hamilton counties. Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity expanded into Hendricks and Hancock counties more than five years ago.

Jim Morris, CEO of Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity, said the leaders from Habitat for Humanity of Hamilton County approached the Indy organization earlier this year about potentially consolidating. The transition became official this month.

Morris said the consolidation made sense because the organizations already had the same mission but they were duplicating administrative and fundraising efforts.

“Smaller nonprofits are just harder to sustain,” Morris said. “Resources are hard to come by.”

The Marion County organization has much more capacity than Hamilton County, building 27 homes last year, while only one was constructed in Hamilton County. Indy Habitat for Humanity had a $10 million budget in 2017, while Habitat for Humanity of Hamilton County’s budget was $1.1 million.

Morris said Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity spent about $75,000 to acquire the assets of the Hamilton County organization, which is now dissolved.

“We did not see this coming,” Morris said. “But we were in a position where we were able to do so.”

All of the staff in Hamilton County has been retained for now, including Habitat for Humanity of Hamilton County Executive Director Jason Haney, who is working on contract through September.

The Fishers ReStore, which was operated by Habitat for Humanity of Hamilton County, will remain open.

“Forward facing, the Habitat for Humanity mission and brand… the general public won’t know a difference,” Morris said. “Most of the operational things, they won’t really know anything changed.”