EAST HELENA — Owning a home is the dream of many Americans, but the Montana housing market can price many out of that dream. Thanks to Habitat for Humanity four families are able to finally call a place "their home".
Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization that partners with families and volunteers to build affordable, sustainable housing, and they're just doing that in East Helena.
"The focus tonight is on the families, the sacrifice that they made for their families to make their dream of homeownership a reality. That's what we're here to celebrate. That's what we're excited about. We need to do a lot more of these. We're going to do a lot more of these as the time comes," said Jacob Kuntz, Executive Director for the Helena Area Habitat for Humanity.
Helena's Habitat for Humanity is in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Rural Development, Mutual Self-Help (USDA) since 2017.
The program gives families a hand up into sustainable, affordable homeownership by having them participate in the building of their homes, and the homes of their future neighbors too, all alongside a group of friends and volunteers who helped make this all possible.
"It's incredibly special. I mean, you know, it's they're more than houses. It's their homes, right? They're places to raise kids. They're places that are safe and secure," said Kathleen Williams, Montana State Director for the USDA Rural Development.
The homeowners, and their families, attended the home dedication celebration by unveiling their houses with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and receiving keys to their new homes.
With the eight to ten months' worth of hard work and extra hours that it took the homeowners and their families to put in for these houses, it was a special moment for all of them.
"It was so hard to actually envision that. And then actually being standing here today, cutting the ribbon, knowing that I'm getting my keys, you know, is just overwhelming. But it's satisfying," said Joalene Allen, one of the new homeowners.
With the four new additions, The Helena Area Habitat for Humanity has helped build 35 new homes for Montana families in Red Fox Meadows, but they're not stopping there with four more houses under construction in that area.
