NORWICH – Progress is being made in Norwich as Habitat for Humanity volunteers begin the last phases of construction on their third house project.
The siding is yet to be finished and the inside has more than a few months of work left, but the outcome is irreplaceable for James and Kisha Mutabiilwa.
The house, currently under construction on Adams Street in the City of Norwich, has been a step in the right direction for community participation and involvement. The wiring was completed by volunteer George Estey and plumbing services are going to be provided free of charge by Eric Bagdy.
The local DCMO BOCES building trades class was recruited by Habitat Site Manager Richard Sheldon to help with the siding.
“The kids from BOCES helped a great deal, but then school let out and we were back to square one,” Sheldon said.
The house, when completed, will be a two-story, three-bedroom structure with one-and-a-half bathrooms. Habitat for Humanity will furnish the refrigerator, the range, and some of the bathroom appliances.
The volunteer organization not only builds a house and gives it to a needy family, they lay the foundation for the future of the families as well.
Habitat for Humanity builds the house, but the structure is not just given away. Each homeowner chosen by Habitat’s selection panel is responsible for a down payment and mortgage payments. Habitat program acts as a lender, not a charity fund. The mortgage is held, the payments are interest-free and the homeowner has to commit themselves to putting in hours of “sweat equity” in building the home.
“Habitat for Humanity is an organization that gives a hand-up not a hand-out,” Habitat Corresponding Secretary Marjory Clark said.
The soon-to-be Adams Street homeowners are originally from Tanzania, and the couple has lived in the area for five years and have one son.
James works for as the coordinator for the Chenango Tobacco Free Coalition and Kisha works for the New York State Veterans’ Home in Oxford. They said they had wanted to buy a house and this was the first option that they came across.
The Mutabiilwas said they were pleased with the progress of the house and anxious to see the final product.
“I think the program is very good, it offers an opportunity to people. It increases the diversity for families to buy and own their own home. I have learned a lot from the volunteers and I have made some friends too,” James said. He also said, “We are waiting for something good and it is definitely worth the wait.”
Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit, international organization that for the past 30 years as continued to provide safe, affordable housing for people in need. The organization’s goal is to eliminate or at least lessen poverty housing and homelessness. Habitat has built over 200,000 homes around the world for 1,000,000 people in more than 3,000 communities. An original grass-roots movement, the program has over 2,100 active affiliates including all 50 states in the U.S and many locations worldwide.
Volunteers age 14 and older are always welcome. If interested in volunteering or finding out more about the application process, call or mail Clark at 764-8341 or P.O. Box 68 Mt. Upton, NY 13809.