Habitat for Humanity of Lincoln County is looking for its next “partner” — a new family looking for a place to call home.

Habitat’s most recent local partner is Angela Kelly, who recently moved into her new home in Brookhaven with her three daughters, Morgan, Madison and Mallory. Her home is the 18th house completed by Habitat in Lincoln County during the past 25 years.

“We love our home,” Kelly said, “and we’re so grateful.”

A location has already been selected for house No. 19.

An application fair will be conducted to help facilitate the application process on Sept. 21 and 22, from 3 until 5 p.m. at the Betsy Smith Properties real estate office, 415 Hwy. 51 S, across from the Brookhaven Police Department. Attendees should obtain applications prior to the event at https://tinyurl.com/y2xgbp3n so necessary documentation can be gathered. These documents include work history, pay stubs, W-2 forms and tax returns. Applicants will also have to attend financial education and training seminars.

“This process is not a hand out or a free house,” said Sidney Wilson, Habitat’s liaison, “but a hand up arrangement where they pay a mortgage for the next 30 years at 0% interest.”

Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit housing organization in all 50 U.S. states and in more than 70 countries worldwide. Families and individuals in need of decent, affordable housing apply for home ownership through local chapters.

Local selection committees select homeowners based on three criteria — level of need, willingness to partner with HFH and their ability to repay a mortgage through an affordable payment plan. As part of the willingness to partner, homebuyers invest hundreds of hours of their own labor, or “sweat equity,” alongside other volunteers and Habitat homeowners.

RMS Resource Management Services in the forestry industry has committed $25,000 to help with this next project. Anyone who wants to donate financially, supplies, labor or connectivity is encouraged to do so.

Habitat is also looking for a new president/executive director, which is a volunteer position. Betsy Smith is the current president with Wilson acting as her liaison, Fletcher Grice is vice president, John Lynch is treasurer and Teri Jagers is secretary.

“Habitat for Humanity is so thankful for our community involvement, the love and spirit of humanity,” Wilson said. “Webster’s Dictionary says an example of humanity is treating someone with kindness. Or the definition of humanity is the entire human race or the characteristics that belong uniquely to human beings, such as kindness, mercy and sympathy.”