Habitat’s Newest Homeowners

DateApril 15, 2009 | Filed Under Habitat News Archive 

ded • i • ca • tion (noun) 1. a ceremony marking the official completion
of a building, institution, monument, etc.; 2. wholehearted devotion

Dedications are particularly joyous for Habitat. It’s the special occasion when friends, relatives, neighbors, co-workers, Habitat staff, Board and supporters come together to celebrate a major milestone in the lives of Habitat families. A dedication acknowledges the achievements of the new homeowner and the Habitat community that has worked shoulder to shoulder with them for many months to make their dream of homeownership some true.

Fall 2008 was a busy and productive time for Habitat for Humanity of Greater New Haven. Three homes were completed and dedicated in time for our newest homeowners to celebrate Thanksgiving in them.

18 Shepard Street, the home of Tonya Sherman and her family (pictured below), was dedicated on September 14, 2008. Madison Cares sponsored the house, their fourth for Habitat. The house, originally built around 1900, was so delapidated that it required a complete gut rehab. The property was acquired from the City of New Haven.

sherman-family.jpg

On November 22, Habitat dedicated two new homes on Hallock Street belonging to Patricia Walters (below, left, with her son Scott) and William Morales and Sol Maria Velez (below, right) and their families. Both homes are three-bedroom, one-and-a-half baths, with a front porch and full, unfinished basement. Sleeping Giant Build, another Habitat house sponsor group, sponsored the Morales/Velez family’s home and provided the volunteers to build it. The home of Patricia Walters was co-sponsored by two family foundations. The Hallock Street parcel was also acquired from the City of New Haven.

patty-scott.jpg     sol-william.jpg

Several businesses and community organizations partnered with Habitat on the three projects.

  • Dimeo Construction made a generous donation of Thanksgiving turkeys and all the trimmings for the three families.

  • IKEA donated kitchen cabinets for the Walters home.

  • New Haven Reads provided a box of books for each family at the dedications.

  • One Economy, a global non-profit organization dedicated to maximizing the potential of technology for low income families, provided the three new homeowners with a technology package that included two years of AT&T Broadband DSL, a computer, desktop software and technology training.

  • Madison Cares, Sleeping Giant Build and Habitat brought house warming gifts on the days the homes were dedicated.

Habitat and its three newest homeowners extend thanks to everyone who worked on the homes, made donations and provided support in numerous and invaluable and thoughtful ways.