In 1988 President Jimmy Carter visited NSU and signed the charter of the NSU Campus Chapter of Habitat for Humanity, sponsored by the Wesley Foundation. George Fulk and Bill Morris served as faculty sponsors for a Collegiate Challenge student trip to Coahoma, Mississippi. Fulk and Morris came back determined to start building Habitat houses in Tahlequah.
On August 1, 1990, Tahlequah Area Habitat for Humanity, Inc., received its charter from Habitat for Humanity International with 501c3 non-profit status. With a board of directors, $5,000 in the bank and a mailing list of 100 interested people, the organization planned the first build. Members of the founding board included Linda Cheatham, Jim Lewis, Steve Pickard and George Fulk, all of whom still support TAHFH.
1991 - TAHFH completed the first house located at 920 Coy Street. 1992-1993 - Houses #2 and #3 are completed at 1251 and 1253 Jones Street near Allen Road. 1995 - House #4 is completed at 816 E. Harrison Street. 1997 - House #5 is completed at 315 W. South Street. 1998 - House #6 is completed at 327 W. South Street. This is the only renovation of a historic home TAHFH has completed. 1998 - House #7 is completed at 805 Bean Street. 2000 - House #8 is completed at 807 Bean Street. 2001 - Houses #9 and #10 are completed at 420 and 422 S. West Avenue. 2005 - House #11 is completed at 418 S. West Avenue. 2007 - House #7 is recycled to a new homeowner. This is the only house that has been repossessed for non-payment. 2007 - House #12 is completed at 319 W. South Street. 2008 - Houses #13 & #14 are completed. House #14 was built in one week during the Home Builders Blitz in June 2008. 2009 - House #15 is completed at 19235 S. 460 Road, Hulbert. 2009 - House #16 is completed at 413 S. West Avenue. 2009 - 6 Houses receive paint and roof repair during the A Brush With Kindness project 2010 - House #17 is completed at 395 Short Street 2010 - 2 more houses are repaired with the help of TEAMeffort and A Brush With Kindness.
