Buy One, Give One Homes
As Portlanders, most of us are familiar with Toms shoe company and their "buy one, give one" business model. If you aren't familiar, when you buy a pair of Toms shoes, the company gives a pair of shoes to someone in need.
This one-for-one model is now being used by many socially-conscious companies. One-for-one glasses, toothbrushes, blankets, and more! And now, the World Housing organization has made this model available to home buyers as well!
The Canadian organization was co-founded by real estate veterans Peter Dupuis and Sid Landlot, and they have been in the business together for 32 years. In 2009 they had the opportunity to meet with Toms founder, Blake Mycoskie on a plane ride, and were instantly inspired to find out what a one-for-one housing model would look like.
World Housing's founding purpose is to "create sustainable social change by building and gifting homes to qualified, deserving families that live and sustain themselves around Third World garbage dump communities. For every condominium sold at a certified World Housing project a contribution is made by the developer to build a home for a dump dweller family. " Read more about World Housing and their work here!