Two Habitat homes were dedicated including the first totally handicap accessible home. At the dedication are, from left, in wheelchairs, Jeanice and Clifford Seab, new homeowners, standing, Habitat Executive Director Jan Varnell, Habitat Family Services Director Jonathan Shatz and Sandra Tarpkin, new homeowner. Click on all our photos to enlarge.
- photo by Irby Park
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga dedicated two new houses in the Shepherd Park community that will soon become homes for deserving families who have qualified for them.
The houses on Bunch Street will be the homes of Sandra Tarpkin and her family and of Clifford and Jeanice Seab.
The Seab’s house at 5833 Bunch Street is the 168th house Habitat has built in the Chattanooga area and is the first totally handicap accessible home Habitat has built. Mr. and Mrs. Seab have been married 23 years and they work at two different Ryan’s Restaurants as greeters.
Ms. Tarpkin and her five children will live at 5829 Bunch Street, the 169th house Habitat has built here. She has been a custodian at Howard Elementary School since 1999.
Workers are putting the finishing touches on the homes which are expected to be ready for occupancy in a matter of days.
Habitat, a non-profit, ecumenical, Christian housing ministry, serves those who need help getting simple, decent, affordable housing. Its zero interest loans and homeowner education programs give its partner families “a hand up, not a handout.”
In the Litany of Dedication, it was noted that the homes “have been made possible through many hours of volunteer work, along with gifts of material and money.”
Jan Varnell, executive director of Habitat, welcomed those attending the dedication and Jonathan Shatz, family services director for Habitat, presented Bibles to the new homeowners.
The homes were built with funds provided by the Clarence E. Harris Foundation, the Maclellan Foundation, Thompson, Rogers & Williams, PLLC, Huffaker & Trimble and many individuals in the community.
Construction was provided by hundreds of hours of volunteer labor including the “sweat equity” labor provided by the new owners.
Habitat homes of Sandra Tarpkin, at left, and Clifford and Jeanice Seab were dedicated in ceremonies in the Shepherd Park development. Click on all our photos to enlarge.
- Photo2 by Irby Park