Mon Valley Habitat for Humanity board members and volunteers joined the newest Habitat homeowners’ families and friends to ceremonially dedicate two new homes along Bergamont Street in Morgantown on Sunday.
“This latest home project has been unique with the challenges presented by the pandemic, but it is a testament of the resiliency and commitment of our volunteers and community to come together to achieve something special,” said Executive Director Michael Richard.
Even with the COVID-19 pandemic, Mon Valley Habitat for Humanity has been dedicated to building a new home and helping local families through the devotion and generosity of Habitat volunteers, local businesses and community donors. Habitat coordinators were able to complete the homes through the work of a small group of core volunteers and staff. This group, including the new homeowner and other volunteers, worked more than 250 hours each to complete the new home.
Josh, Michelle and their family have been waiting until they could move in to their new home. After dealing with COVID and hundreds of hours of work on their home, Michelle was emotional when speaking about what this opportunity means to her.
“I can’t tell you how much this home means to our family. Our kids can finally feel safe and have something of their own,” she said.
Crystal and her family also received a home. When asked about what this home meant to them, she said, “God has blessed us to be able to own our own home.”
MVHFH is accepting applications for its next home project in Kingwood, tentatively scheduled to begin late this month. Habitat for Humanity does not give away homes. Instead, it partners with a pre-qualified future Habitat homeowner to build a house alongside volunteers, who then pay an affordable mortgage they would not have been able to without Habitat.
As a nearly entirely volunteer-led organization, volunteers of all skill levels are encouraged to join in some capacity, whether it be on a construction site, through fundraising efforts and outreach or at the organization’s ReStore. For more information or to support the build, call Richard at 304-292-0914 or visit monvalleyhfh.org
