Enough Room for All
Carpenter for Christ's most recent home recipient heard about the Dallas Habitat program from a friend, and so she came by the Habitat offices to get some information. She never believed it would really happen for her, but the whole process turned out to be far simpler and more straightforward than she imagined. Things came into line rapidly, and she received her own 4-bedroom, 2-bath Habitat home this spring. She is a solid Dallas citizen, who has worked for nine years as a customer service representative in a well-known financial group. She makes sure to keep her own bills current and is devoted to raising her young family in the right way, two real priorities for her.
There are 3 very active little boys: 5, 3 and six months. All are looking forward to being in a home with a fenced yard and lots of room to play. Of course, our homeowner-partner is just as excited as the boys and sees her new home in a wholesome, family oriented neighborhood, which has benefited so much by Dallas Habitat. After some lean years she can say, " My hope and dream is that my children and I will be in a stable environment for many years to come, and I think that this is a great step toward that dream."
9th Annual SMU Build Yields a 'Double Helping'
It's hard to believe that Highland Park United Methodist Church and the students, faculty and administration at SMU have completed two more homes in only two weeks in a tradition that has been going on for nearly a decade. The stars of the 2011 show were our homeowners, of course. We had a 39 year-old mom, working to support her disabled husband, who is providing shelter for her employed daughter and her daughter's two young children. She is a devout Christian and serves in the choir and in other capacities at her church. She is living in a beautiful 4 bedroom, 2 bath, brick home with a 2-car attached garage. that's hard to beat for 400 hours of sweat equity.
Her next door neighbor has a new home, equally nice, built by the same HPUMC and SMU folks during the blitz build. She is a single lady with a young son, who is full of life and will enjoy playing in his large, fenced backyard. Our owner is also a regular member at one of the major chruches in Oak Cliff. Besides this she is a hard worker and plans to make a mark in what is a long life to come. For these ladies, their families and especially, Carpenters for Christ, it couldn't get any better than this!
Luciano is the proud father and single parent to his son, who is not yet one year old. For his livelihood Luciano is employed by a local water sprinkler company, but his heart is interlocked with that of his son. His primary desire in life is to provide a good home for his son with the greatest possible educational advantages. Having a Habitat home will go a long way toward that goal, and the 2009 WillieBuild made that home possible.
In Luciano’s own words, “I am determined to give my son the best life possible. Seeing him smile absolutely melts my heart, and that image helps me get through long days and rough times....I want to thank Dallas Area Habitat for making homeownership possible for me. I thought that owning my own home would never happen. My son and I thank you wholeheartedly for this great opportunity you are giving us.”
Maria learned the desire to be a homeowner from the family for whom she was a housekeeper for seven years. The have treated wonderfully and have encouraged her throughout the qualifying process. She is very proud of all her four children. With the help of WillieBuild 2009, good friends and the grace of God I am back on my feet and thriving. I am so blessed that all my children are able to take what life hands them and learn from every experience, just like their mom has been able to. You can’t imagine how happy I am. Thank you, Habitat, for making my dream come true.
New Orleans’ Loss Is Dallas’ Gain
Tylecia is one of those new Texans who became a Dallasite following Hurricane Katrina three year ago. New Orleans’ loss is Dallas’ gain for this database coordinator and graduate of Southern University in New Orleans. She is extremely proud of her 18-year-old daughter, who attends Delgado College in New Orleans, and who has hopes of becoming a pediatrician one day.
Tylecia’s immediate goal is to own a home and to make it a safe and secure haven, free from crime, drugs and the other things that cause major personal and societal problems. She is very interested in becoming a part of a stable neighborhood and having decent neighbors who have the same objective in life that she does. Still at a young age herself Tylecia sees this three-bedroom home as allowing her the possibility of adopting a child in the future. What a blessing is this home to her, to her family and to this great City.
It Was a Perfect WillieBuild!
December and Gustavo are young but have been together for 12 years and they have four beautiful children. This was a most fitting way to celebrate the life of Willie Tichenor with the second annual WillieBuild. Their home is in a neighborhood where Willie was fond of spending many hours in service. Gus works as a maintenance mechanic and is a great father and husband. December is a stay-at-home mom, who has put her education on hold in order to raise her children and be there for the family. Home ownership will help the stability of their family, and their hope is that their children will have better lives and one day be able to own their own homes.
The new homeowners said, “We are so overwhelmed with the generosity of habitat and our sponsors. we are so thankful that we want to continue volunteering even after we finish our home.”
A Great Family Benefits From First Breast Cancer Build
Juanita is the proud mother of two wonderful boys. At the start of this year she had no idea that her family would be the beneficiaries of a home built as the first of the Breast Cancer Builds. Dr. Sheron Patterson, Pastor of Highland Hills United Methodist Church, began this non-profit effort less than one year ago to focus on breast cancer prevention while doing good works. The result is a beautiful home in Cedar Creek Ranch subdivision. Carpenters for Christ was proud to be the full financial sponsor for this its 55th home.
The two sons attended middle scholl in Dallas. The older brother is the more serious of the two and finds time to draw and to work on the computer. For the time being at least, the younger son is the real clown and is always happy. Juanita sees this family home as a place to grow up in and to be a place where hers sons can always come home to. She hopes it will encourage each of them to become achievers in life, so that one day they will own homes for their own children.
One Family Finds Its Way to Historic Joppa
Carpenters for Christ began its 2008 construction year, completing two homes for two families in two weeks by the Second of March. Royal and Kimberly chose the beautiful and historic Joppa area as the setting of their home, and it reminded them of their former neighborhood in New Orleans’ 9th Ward. They have been married for 18 years and are the parents of three children. Royal is employed as a dietary associate, and Kimberly has been with Target Stores for the past 6 years. Their dream has been to have a good home, to stay together as a family and to always put God first.
“We have learned first-hand what it is like to lose everything you have collected over a lifetime in a matter of seconds. Even during that difficult time I never gave up hope or faith in God. I just want to thank God that we are still here living and we are able to have what is most important - each other. I know that nothing is impossible through God.”
Another Family Completes the “Double-Double” for 2008
Erica leads the second family who claimed a home in the Joppa neighborhood as part of Carpenters Homes on the Lawn project this year. She is a native Dallasite and a single mother of two children. She and her family have always lived in apartments, and ever since the birth of her son, she has wanted the best for her family - to live in a decent home, where her children could grow up and be raised in a stable environment.
“Once I applied for Habitat and found out the good news that I was approved, I shared the news with the children right away. We all rejoiced, and they immediately started coming up with ideas to decorate their rooms. We are so glad for the opportunity that Habitat has given us and know that this opportunity will impact our lives in such a positive way.”
Singles Home Completes a Great Year
There is a special place in heaven for Isabel and the hard-working volunteers from HPUMC’s Single Adult Ministries for their excellent work in the ‘speed’ build in the Joppa area of Dallas that was accomplished in 6 working days and dedicated on December 8th. This was the second year in a row that the Church’s Single Adult program managed the construction process from beginning to end, from first nail driven to the frosting on the dedication cake. Special thanks, too, are in order for Bryan and Michelle Goolsby, who provided the funding for their second Habitat home in as many years.
Isabel is a single mother of two boys. For two years Isabel has been employed at Parkland Hospital. She values greatly the quality time she can spend with her boys and feels the reality of homeownership will allow her to raise her sons in a stable environment and that one day she may realize her dream of going to college. We wish her the very best.
Family Makes New Home in Pleasant Grove
Gloria is the proud mother of five grown children and is excited to be moving to the first home she has ever owned. Gloria suffers from asthma, cell inflammation and arthritis and will be sharing the home with her adult daughter, who is a long-time employee of Presbyterian Hospital and acts as caregiver to her mother. Both women enjoy church life, window shopping and being outdoors.
As her daughter put it so well, “My mother and I would like to express our appreciation and gratitude for all your company has done for us. You have given us a chance to be homeowners and to have something to call our own. Thank you for taking the time to let us know about the (Habitat) program and for being so kind to us.” Our Carpenters for Christ volunteers couldn’t be prouder.
Celebrating the Inaugural WillieBuild
Annette and her grandchildren are the recipients of the First Annual WillieBuild home, which concluded with its dedication in May 2006. This was one of the most unique projects ever undertaken by Carpenters for Christ, as over 200 volunteers built the Church’s 50th Habitat home in honor of their friend, Willie Tichenor, who died in March 2006. Funding for the entire project was provided by gifts to the Willie Fund at HPUMC, where Willie spent so much of his time in service and fellowship and where he once served as a youth leader intern.
West Dallas has always been an area of special interest to Willie and his family, and Annette's home is located there, in the heart of a redevelopment area favored by the City and Habitat for Humanity. Annette is employed at Wal-Mart and, after being widowed at an early age, successfully raised six children on her own. Circumstances developed that she is now raising three of her grandchildren, and they are all looking forward to a wonderful life in their new home.
Carpenters for Christ Funds “Women of Faith Build”
Every so often Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity creates a special home-building opportunity for particular groups, and Carpenters for Christ was privileged to donate the full funding for the 2007 “Women of Faith Build.” Only volunteer women were involved in the construction of Barbara's new home in the historic Joppa section of southeast Dallas. Joining women from HPUMC were ladies from a number of Dallas area organizations, including the Potter’s House, Northwest Bible Church, Irving Bible Church, Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, Women of the NAACP and Dallas Association. of Black Women Attorneys.
The home, which counts as #49 for Carpenters for Christ, was begun in March 2007 and was dedicated in May 2007. Barbara is also a Wal-Mart employee and finds time for a second job at Macy’s, as well as fitting in some college hours. She has four children, all of whom are in college or in high school. Barbara attends church regularly and likes to attend Christian concerts and plays. Best wishes to Barbara and her family in their beautiful new home.
Seeing Double for 2007 Home on the Lawn
Carpenters for Christ undertook its most ambitious start of any year when it challenged HPUMC and its partner, SMU, to build not one, but two, homes in their annual kick-off event. The houses were begun simultaneously, and owing to a tremendous outpouring of volunteers, particularly from 400 members of the SMU student body, the homes were completed in only 16 calendar days.
LaToya was our homeowner-partner in our 47th home near Fair Park. She is a native Texan and the only sister among boy siblings, which gave her a sense of independence early on. LaToya is employed in health management and takes courses at the Dallas County Community Colleges. She is the proud parent of two children. The family, including LaToya's fiance’, much prefers the slower pace on Sundays after church when they can spend quality time together.
Our other home partner was Claudette, who now resides in the Fair Park neighborhood with her three children in what is Carpenters’ 48th home to be built. She, too, is very busy, balancing full-time employment at El Centro College and classes at UNT Dallas. Busy like her mother Claudette's daughter is attending El Centro and working toward her Associate’s degree in science. Claudette's son and another daughter are in high school.
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