Contact: Wendy Schneider
FHSTW Communications Coordinator
(985) 893-3172 Cell: (985) 373-6638

COVINGTON, LA -- Over a hundred people gathered Saturday morning on June 28 to dedicate the new homes of eight families who partnered with Habitat for Humanity St. Tammany (HFHSTW) to change their lives by buying their first homes.

Covington Mayor Candace Watkins congratulated HFHSTW for working with the city of Covington and St. Tammany Parish to “build community” by creating new neighborhoods like Hope Village II.

Habitat partner Ashanta Earlycutt thanked the crowd of over 100, which included family, friends and HFHSTW staff and volunteers, saying “You just don’t know how good it feels to take a bath in your very own bath tub. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Habitat.”

Reverend Scott Adams from St. Timothy United Methodist Church blessed the new homes of Myesha Anderson, Elizabeth and Viola Anderson, Isis Brown, Ashanta Earlycutt, Chaveon Heidburg, Catherine James, Rhonda Jones and Cynthia Lewis.

HFHSTW acknowledged the sponsors who donated financial resources and gifts in kind to help keep our costs low for our homebuyers. Sponsors for these eight homes include: AmeriCorps, Blitz Home Builders, Federal Home Loan Bank, Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project, Lakeview Regional Medical Center, Nielsen Media, Rice-Voelker Fund for Recovery, Salvation Army, St. Tammany Homestead, St. Timothy United Methodist Church and United Way.

The ceremony also served as the conclusion of an ten-day blitz build in which three of these houses in Habitat’s “Hope Village II” were completed by Blitz Home Builders, an international group of dedicated Habitat for Humanity volunteers that have participated in multiple blitz builds over the last ten years.

“I feel so blessed, so honored that the Blitz Home Builders built my house!” said Habitat homebuyer Cynthia Lewis. “I love where my new house is and I know my kids will be safe there.”

The eight Covington families were each presented a ceremonial Habitat hammer, a bible and a key in recognition of their faith, hard work and willingness to partner with Habitat in homeownership. Each family earned the purchase of their homes at cost and at a zero-percent interest mortgage after serving hundreds of sweat equity hours to HFHSTW and finishing a program of homeowner training classes.

“Habitat is a big, big blessing for us,” said Catherine James. “We’re finally going to have a better place to live with space to grow. I am so appreciative.”

Charles Certain, a Habitat homeowner in Hope Village (across the street from Hope Village II), commended Habitat’s efforts. “You gave hope to me and my family and to all these families,” Certain said. “I expect we all can give a little back to show our appreciation for all your hard work.”

Maureen Clary, HFHSTW President and CEO, said “We have been blessed with generous volunteers and donors who have made our first 150 homes possible,” she said. “We need this continued support as we work to achieve the goal of building 100 homes within the next two years.”

About Blitz Home Builders
Blitz Home Builders is an international group of dedicated Habitat for Humanity volunteers that have participated in multiple Blitz Builds over the last ten years. This group is comprised of many present and past Honeywell employees who wish to continue this annual Blitz Build tradition by enthusiastically supporting affiliate building goals and the Habitat cause. The group supports this build with very experienced and skilled leadership along with enthusiastic general volunteer help. Three houses were completed with HFHSTW in 10 days from bare prepared foundation to the finished home.

About Habitat for Humanity St. Tammany West
Habitat for Humanity St. Tammany West is an ecumenical Christian ministry dedicated to eliminating poverty housing by building simple, decent and affordable housing. Since it was founded in 1981 as the tenth Habitat affiliate in the US and the first in Louisiana, over 100 repairs, 17 major home renovations and 150 new home construction projects were completed and sold to partner families with no-profit, zero-interest mortgages. For more information, visit www.habitatstw.org.

About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has built more than 250,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 1 million people. For more information, visit www.habitat.org.

See our Photo Gallery of this event

Photo #1: Habitat home buyer Ashanta Earlycutt thanked the crowd of over 100, which included family, friends and HFHSTW staff and volunteers, saying “You just don’t know how good it feels to take a bath in your very own bath tub. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Habitat.”

Photo #2: habitat home buyer Cynthia Lewis, seeing the inside of her house for the first time, stands in her kitchen with her daughters LaShaundra and Silvia along with long-time Habitat volunteers Mary Catherine Regan and Marilyn Wenzel.