Thanks to HOME Grant funds from the city of Chattanooga and area volunteers, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga Area is poised to start another home Saturday for Winifred Sanders.
“I cannot wait until I finally will have a place to call my own,” said Ms. Sanders when she signed her lot agreement with Habitat for Humanity. Her future 3 bedroom/2 bathroom home will located on Clio Avenue. “This lot will be perfect for me as I will be close to my family,” she says. Additionally it happens to be next door to another Habitat for Humanity homeowner, Tommy Back. Mr. Back’s passion is gardening and has already offered to help Winifred when her home is complete.
Mr. Back is not the only one who will be helping Winifred with her home. As a single person, Ms. Sanders has struggled to fulfill the required 350 sweat equity hours all by herself. Other partner families who have already completed their hours have agreed to help her with the building process of the house. “I had an abundance of friends and family help me to receive my house”, says Tiffany Kyles, “so when Winifred needed help with hers, I was more than happy to step up to the plate.”
“Although I cannot physically help out with every task on the construction site, I will be there to show my appreciation to all of the volunteers who are helping to make my dream come true,” says Ms. Sanders. When the home is done later this year it will be sold to Ms. Sanders with a 30 year, zero interest mortgage. Beside helping Ms. Sanders have an new home with an affordable mortgage payment, construction of her home supports the local economy by generating $230,000 of economic impact.
Ms. Sander's home is one of three to be built this year thanks to HOME Grant funds provided to Habitat by the city of Chattanooga's Department of Neighborhood Services and Community Development.