Kearney Area Habitat for Humanity was born from the desire of four men to put their Christian faith into action. Bill Ballou, Jim McKenzie, Jerry Marlatt, and Joe Methe were part of a Bible study group that met on Friday mornings for doughnuts and devotions at St. Luke's Good Samaritan Center. As their Bible study continued, Methe recalled, “The inspiration came to us that we should be doing something for others.”

The four began with small handyman projects for people in need, but they sensed something was missing.

One afternoon, McKenzie was flipping through TV channels when he heard someone “talking about construction.” It was President Jimmy Carter speaking about building with people in need. That word—with—stood out. McKenzie called Plains, Georgia, in search of Carter’s contact, but was directed instead to the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum. As he explained the reason for his call, the receptionist replied, “Oh, you mean Habitat for Humanity.”

Meanwhile, Marlatt’s son-in-law, a Methodist minister in the Omaha area, had a connection to the Omaha Habitat affiliate. Through that link, Marlatt contacted the affiliate’s building superintendent. On December 2, 1991, Marlatt, McKenzie, and Methe traveled to Omaha, helped paint a Habitat rehab house, and learned more about the organization. On the drive home, Marlatt remarked, “We thought it [Habitat] sounded like what we needed.”

McKenzie remembers Marlatt’s insight: a Habitat home would be about much more than just the house—it would be life-changing for the family who received it. And so it began.

The four formed a temporary steering committee of eight. Though they were confident in the need, they weren’t sure if there was enough community support to sustain a local Habitat affiliate. Just over a month after their Omaha visit, they held a public meeting on January 14, 1992, at the Salvation Army building. The Kearney Hub ran a news brief about it, but they had no idea what to expect. More than 81 people attended, and over 200 others expressed interest. Momentum grew quickly.

On August 4, 1992, Kearney Area Habitat for Humanity officially became an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International. While it typically takes 14–18 months to establish an affiliate, Kearney did it in just nine. Fueled by that energy, the group broke ground on their first build site on August 28. By November 22—just four months later—the home at 1311 Avenue D was dedicated.

As the organization took shape, the founders sought financial support. Their first donation was a $10,000 check from an anonymous donor. Marlatt and McKenzie then approached Platte Valley State Bank with a bold request: a loan of up to $25,000 at no interest, with no collateral and no signatures. The bank agreed—offering $30,000 instead. “We never needed it,” McKenzie said, noting that the Kearney community and churches have been exceptionally generous.

“The churches and Carpenter’s Club donors are the lifeblood of Kearney Habitat. Some have been giving for 25 years and have never missed,” McKenzie said. Early support also came from Covenant Churches, which agreed to pray for Kearney Habitat, provide volunteers, and make financial contributions.

Each of the four founders credits Kearney Habitat’s financial stability to tithing. From day one, the group tithed to Habitat for Humanity International from every donation—and, until they needed to purchase land, from every homeowner’s mortgage payment as well. Their stories are filled with “God moments” and “Kingdom moments”—times when funds came in just when they were most needed.

A major milestone came in 2013 when Kearney Habitat purchased 9.5 acres near 17th Street and Avenue M—the largest land acquisition in its history. The purchase was made possible through homeowner mortgage payments, along with support from local and corporate sponsors. Those mortgage payments now fund future builds. Of the original four founders, McKenzie brought the vision, Ballou brought the connections, Marlatt brought the tenacity, and Methe brought the faith. “If there were a lot of ‘Kearney Nebraskas’ doing this,” Methe said, “it could make a real difference in the world.” Until then, Kearney Habitat will continue making a world of difference—right here at home, and across the globe.