On Monday Habitat for Humanity opened the doors to the 15th home it's built this year in central Arkansas.
“Wow! Are you serious,” asked Horace Grant as he walked into his new home for the first time.
Most recipients of Habitat for Humanity’s zero-interest loans spend a portion of their time working on the home they will eventually move into. Mr. Grant was a rare exception, who instead spent his time volunteering on homes intended for others.
Mr. Grant first received word he’d been approved for Habitat’s loan program in September but did not expect to move into his home until March of 2016. His family and coworkers from Embassy Suites joined him on his first tour of the house.
Bill Plunkett, the CEO of the central Arkansas chapter of Habitat for Humanity, said the new homes are intended to benefit both the individual and the surrounding community.
“It’s the forty-sixth house we have in the Baring Cross area,” said Plunkett, “and we have focused on this area to make a difference and to change lives. You can see it start to change. You really can. You can see the kids run out in the street and grab the policeman by the shirt and say, ‘Would you come play basketball with me’?”
Mr. Grant shared his desire to be an active member in his new community.
“I would like to meet my neighbors, so if anything happens I can look out for them and they can look out for me. At the same time if there’s anything going on maybe we can help encourage,” he said.
Habitat for Humanity is a faith-based organization that partners with a variety of churches and other volunteers to build homes for low-income families. Habitat’s mortgage program allows program participants to purchase homes at cost with zero-interest loans.
