Habitat for Humanity dedicates most recent finished home, work underway on next home
Delisa Churchill stands with Habitat for Humanity Sponsors during the official dedication of her newly built home.
January 7, 2020
Staff members and volunteers for Habitat for Humanity haven’t put down the hammers since beginning a string of builds on parcels on Mead Street in Zanesville.
On Oct. 14, Habitat for Humanity of Southeast Ohio dedicated it’s most recent finished product to a mother of two children with one on the way.
“I’m very, very happy and I appreciate everybody that came out and helped, put in so much work and time to help me have a nice place to live with my kids,” Delisa Churchill, the new homeowner of the house on Mead Street, said.
As a local sponsor, Merrill Lynch was an instrumental partner in the project.
“We heard about this project and we wanted to be so much a part of it and it’s made all the difference in the world,” Mark Moyer, Resident Director for Merrill Lynch in Southeastern Ohio, said. “We’ve talked non-stop in the office about it because, as I said to Ms. Churchill, we have never done anything like this before. We’ll do it again.”
Adding a personal note, Moyer told Churchill that his mother was born and raised just down the street from her newly built home.
“We’re proud of her, and she looks like a very special person and we’ve heard all along that she’s such a worker,” Moyer said.
According to Chelsie Frazier, Director of Family Services for Habitat for Humanity of SEO, Churchill was chosen by the family selection committee, as well as the board. Churchill had to put in “sweat equity hours” working for habitat to show initiative and accountability and then was able to pick her parcel.
“It’s a really inspiring thing to watch, I mean you see these people who are like I don’t know if I can do it and they, it’s hard, there are moments that it’s hard but it’s worth it and in the end it’s an amazing experience,” Frazier said.
Since the completion and dedication of Churchill’s new home, Habitat for Humanity staff members and volunteers have turned their attention to the next home on Mead Street.
“It’s a full staff effort, but it’s not just about the staff, it’s about the community, it’s about the volunteers and it’s about the partner family the future homeowner that works with us and does all their sweat equity,” Kenneth Oehlers, Executive Director of Habitat For Humanity in Southeast Ohio, said.
The next home that is currently under construction will be placed into the ownership of Lorena Seenes come springtime.
On days that volunteers are working on her soon-to-be home, Seenes can be spotted in the hustle and bustle helping to build her new home.
“For me, since I’m going to be living in it and I’m going to own it, I’m learning a little bit about what it is to be a homeowner and, my thought is, how can you not be apart of it,” Seenes said.
Despite the cold temperatures, volunteers have still been working on the home to prepare it for Seenes official move-in. According to Missy Best, Director of Community Engagement for Habitat for Humanity of Southeast Ohio, its anticipated that the home will be completed sometime this coming spring.
“It’s exciting and I’m so thankful for everybody that’s here to help. It’s a blessing,” Seenes said.
To learn more about volunteering to help Habitat for Humanity build homes for local community members, click here.
