In the summer of 1987, a group of concerned citizens came together to form the San Diego affiliate. Georgia and Dennis Briscoe became interested in Habitat for Humanity when its founders, Linda and Millard Fuller, contacted them early in its development. Millard Fuller was a highly successful businessman and attorney, but in consultation with his wife, Linda, they decided to divest themselves of their wealth and devote themselves to a life of service.
After a short period living at Koinonia Farms in Georgia, where the Fullers were exposed to the ideas that formed the basis of Habitat for Humanity, the Fullers left for a lay mission to the Congo. There, they successfully put the basic concepts to work, building a small community of homes with 50 families in Mbandaka, the Congo. It was evident that this idea of self-help, respect, and pay back of the costs with no interest or profit (in order to build additional houses), was a partnership of people with need and people with resources that could empower those in need to improve their lives and living conditions.
The Fullers returned to the U.S. to officially form Habitat for Humanity International. They contacted all their friends and acquaintances including the Briscoes. The TLC adult Sunday school class at First United Methodist Church developed a Christmas alternative gift fundraising effort for Habitat International. Over the next four years they raised approximately $40,000. With the funding in place, the Briscoes and their friends, helped to build 30 homes in Juliaca, Peru and returned to the U.S. even more committed to the concepts of Habitat for Humanity.
In 1987, in a bi national meeting at the Autonomous University of Baja California,
approximately 50 people were present at the initial meeting, representing many
constituencies and expressing their strong support for the idea of starting a
Habitat affiliate in the San Diego-Tijuana region. This bi national affiliate
was to become the only one of its kind in the history of Habitat and was designed
from the beginning to create a cross-border partnership for working together
on the problem of affordable housing throughout the metropolis of Tijuana, Mexico
and San Diego, California. By early spring, 1988, sites had been identified in
which to begin work in Tijuana, and within a few months, ground was broken for
houses in 3 different colonias (neighborhoods) of Tijuana.
In late summer of 1988, former President Jimmy Carter brought his Habitat Blitz Build to San Diego and Tijuana. This would provide the first opportunity for Habitat International to include an "overseas" location for their summer Jimmy Carter work camp and it would provide an opportunity to build houses in both San Diego and Tijuana. President and Rosalyn Carter believed it was an excellent idea and accepted the invitation for June 1990. It was then up to the Tijuana-San Diego affiliate to make it happen. This relatively untested affiliate had committed itself to a major undertaking, an attitude that would become a major characteristic of this affiliate.
With the aid of Habitat International, the Carters, and about 3,000 volunteers from around San Diego, the rest of the U.S., and a number of other countries, 100 homes were completed in Tijuana during the one-week blitz build and seven in Encanto, in Southeast San Diego, for a total of 107 homes. The San Diego church and philanthropic community donated approximately $1.5 million for this project and thus began the process of putting the concepts of Habitat for Humanity (and the huge need for affordable housing) on the political agenda in both San Diego and Tijuana. Much of the money was raised in major fundraisers hosted by Larry Lawrence at the Hotel Del Coronado (other hosts of this event included Gordon Luce, Kim Fletcher, Clair Burgener, and Lionel Van Deerlin), at the personal home of Tawfiq Khoury, and Bill Allen on his yacht. Many philanthropists in the San Diego community made significant contributions to ensure the success of this largest (at the time) of the Jimmy Carter Habitat Blitz Builds. Again, First United Methodist Church played a major role with a commitment of $150,000 to the work of Habitat in San Diego and Tijuana. San Diegans who made major contributions to the construction efforts included: Barry McComic (developer of Rancho Bernardo), Tom Penick (of T.B. Penick & Sons, concrete contractors), Jeff Snider (retired CEO of an insurance holding company in Los Angeles) who directed the overall effort, Ed Walton (a local attorney) who coordinated the overall construction activity on both sides of the border, and Ken Erickson (a construction scheduler) who coordinated construction in San Diego.
By October 1987, this affiliate was officially approved and incorporated in California as a non-profit corporation. Our 501(c)(3) exempt status ensures that all donations to the affiliate are tax deductible.
