Bonus Story: A Happy Halloween

Tony at the Building Freedom Day construction site.

Tony Helm’s home was started on Building Freedom Day, September 11, 2008. His family was so excited about owning their first home that for Halloween they set up a card table at the construction site and passed out candy to their future neighbors.

Hearing this story, several of Tony’s future Habitat neighbors whose homes were started just down the street from his on Building Freedom Day 2010 will be following his example and handing out candy on the construction sites of their new homes too!

Overcoming Life’s Challenges

Jose and his puppy at their new home.

Jose Carrillo’s mom, Maria, is an incredible person who has spent most of Jose’s life in a wheelchair. Shortly after he was born, Maria was in a terrible accident and lost most of the use of her legs and arms.

However, despite such challenges, Maria was determined to improve her family’s future.

Faith In Action

Jo Riester

For Jo Riester, working with Habitat deepens her relationship with the community and with her church. She had her first encounter with the organization at a chili cook-off to raise funds for Habitat. The event was sponsored in part by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.

“I am always eager to visit houses of worship” Jo said, “to help investors of time, talents, and treasures build new homes and new lives in our community.”

A Healthy Home

Jill and Rudy Osuna

Rudy and Jill Osuna moved into their Habitat home in 2005. When you walk into their home, you’re welcomed with the warmth of their characters and the cool of their air conditioning.

Their home was started at Building Freedom Day on September 11, 2004.

Working Hard for Opportunity

Meet Levi Khan, a Habitat homeowner who moved into his home in the Fall of 2009.

HabiStore: More Than a Store

Terry at Building Freedom Day 2010.

Terry Dee became involved with Habitat in stages. It began when he was employed at The Home Depot and worked on some projects sponsored by the company. He enjoyed hammering nails alongside his associates on his day off.

“It was fun to be working with my comrades in some remote area,” Terry said.

Turning a House Into a Home

Catherin in her Habitat home.

Catherin Skinner received her Habitat home in 2004. In early 2005, her brother passed away.

However, out of this sad event came a compelling realization for her. Catherin’s family, many of whom she hadn’t seen in 25 years, came to Tucson for the funeral services and stayed with her in her new home.

The Gift of Home

Gina and her daughters Cassandra and Angela.

For Gina Beltran and her daughters, Cassandra and Angela, being approved for a Habitat home is a gift; one they never expected to receive from Gina’s employer, Carondelet Health Network.

In 2009, the Carondelet Health Network began a partnership with Habitat for Humanity Tucson to help local families achieve their dream of homeownership.

Making a New Life

Tommy and his family.

Click here to listen to Tommy Taye speak with his friend and fellow Habitat homeowner, Levi Khan, about their experience as refugees from Liberia.

Audio provided courtesy of StoryCorps, the nonprofit oral history project. These interviews were recorded by StoryCorps during the Mobile Tour visit to Tucson, AZ. For more information visit www.storycorps.net.

A Wish Come True

Meet Maria Flores, a Habitat homeowner who moved into her home in the Spring of 2009.

A Personal Story: Judy Dare

Judy Dare

I hail from Nebraska and have been in Arizona nearly 40 years. My twin daughters live in California as does my granddaughter, Sarah, who enjoys volunteering at the HabiStore when she visits in Tucson. My son lives in Tempe. I retired as a Public Health Nutritionist and Teacher when I moved to Tucson 13 years ago and retirement has given me time to participate in numerous organizations in Tucson.

A Professional Volunteer

Jan helping out at the Habitat office.

After spending many years involved with her children and their school activities, in addition to numerous church activities, being idle was not something Jan was prepared for.

Her husband, Art, suggested that she look around for volunteer opportunities and suggested she look into volunteering with Habitat for Humanity because of their mutual love of building.

HabiStore at your Service

Joann (second from the left) along with some of her HabiStore co-workers.

Joann Bon is a people person, and she says her job at Habitat Tucson’s Habistore serves as a strong backbone to her social life. When people ask where she works, she is usually greeted with enthusiasm and a slew of questions.

“Then I get to tell them the whole story,” she says with a smile.

Building Freedom Day 2010

Every year on the anniversary of the tragic 9/11 attacks, Habitat for Humanity Tucson begins construction on several homes, building them from the ground up, to not only memorialize the victims, but to celebrate hope, community and the American dream at its annual Building Freedom Day.

This year we started seven new homes at Building Freedom Day 2010. Watch this video to see how we did it!

From Gypsies to Snowbirds

Carolyn and Gerry Keener

Because of their sense of adventure and their work with Habitat, the Keeners have been called gypsies a time or two. They’ve traveled all over the world partnering with Habitat to build homes.

“Sixteen winters ago,” recalls Gerry, “We were doing a [Habitat] Caravan build in Las Cruces. We were working with Ken Kinney and he urged us to come to Tucson.”

Finding a Calling

Barbara Faulwetter

Barbara Faulwetter’s career as an architect has taken her to Canada, Alaska and California.
“I enjoy being an architect. Architecture is a big deal but, in my case the projects were so large that my opportunity to interact with the user became less and less. The interface with the user was missing,” she said.

A License to Volunteer

Zac helping out on Building Freedom Day 2010.

Like many teenagers, Zac Cooke was eagerly awaiting his sixteenth birthday, the age that meant that not only could he obtain his driver’s license but he could also start volunteering at Habitat.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Zac, now 16, spends a lot of his free time volunteering. In spite of his busy schedule, Zac has already put in over a hundred hours with Habitat.

The ‘Ace Hardware Guy’

Dan

Dan Francis is a fascinating man. He is articulate, has a master’s degree in Theater History, taught for many years at prestigious universities, and started his own business as an architectural photographer, all with his wife Stretch at his side. He makes lifelong friends and pursues his passions with…passion.

You will find Dan volunteering at Habitat for Humanity Tucson’s Habistore. He started volunteering there on Saturdays and then added Wednesdays…

Homes from the Heart

Esperanza, one of the first family's to recieve a home through TMC and Habitat's partnership.

For six years Habitat Tucson has partnered with Tucson Medical Center (TMC) to sponsor and build a home for one of their employees.

“…One of our board members suggested a meeting with Michael McDonald (Habitat’s Executive Director). The idea: Would TMC be interested in building homes for its employees?” said Michael Duran, Vice President and Chief Development Officer.

A Personal Story: Life Long Friends

Janet and Mandana working on Mandana's home.

When I first volunteered with Habitat for Humanity Tucson, I had really only intended to do a little construction, and be involved at a very ‘surface’ level. So when the office called, and asked if I would be willing to serve on the Partnership Committee, I was a little apprehensive!

However, the prospect of working directly with a family that would be purchasing a Habitat home seemed exciting and somewhat of an adventure to me…

Down-Payment Success

Jen with her family in front of their new home!

In a letter to Old Pueblo Community Services, one grant recipient describes how she has benefited from a down-payment assistance grant provided by Habitat and from completing her community service hours:

…My experience was refreshing in many ways because I really loved connecting with the people I was helping. They always seemed so grateful to see me and I loved that I was playing a role in one of their most basic needs. I especially loved their humility and kindness…

A personal Story:
How I got Started “Habitating”

Steve Cooke at Building Freedom Day 2010

One summer during my college years I was lying around the house with no job nor any prospects. My father was pretty frustrated with me and my lack of something constructive to do, so he pulled me aside and told me he was taking me to a job site to work construction.

As a firefighter, my father had time off that usually turned into his supervision of my older brother and me working with him on a construction job. It’s been a part of our life for as long as I can remember, helping my Dad or his firefighter friends with construction, somewhere. I assumed this was more of the same.

High School Build Program
Shapes Future

J.J. on the job at Habitat.

Like a lot of high school students, J. J. Swinney didn’t know what he wanted to do with his life. Growing up in the small town of Sahuarita, he and his friends had taken to partying for entertainment and weren’t invested in their education.

Then he met Chuck Gallagher, a teacher at Sahuarita High School, who convinced him to sign up for carpentry classes and participate in the Habitat for Humanity Tucson school build project.

Growing in Partnership

Mary handing over the keys to Pat Diflo's first home.

There are a lot of things that inspire Mary Burke to volunteer with Habitat and to partner with Habitat families.

“It’s a combination of things,” she said. “It’s so rewarding to see people able to succeed to the point where they get their first home, to see that process. It’s been rewarding to see the growth in Habitat too.”

A Special Birthday Gift

Abbey stands proudly in the Habitat office with a donation from her 6th birthday.

On May 14, Abbey turned six years old. And, just as with any six-year-old girl’s birthday, invitations were sent, balloons were ordered and cake was prepared. This birthday girl, though, had a very special wish-list in mind.

Instead of asking for dolls, play toys and clothes, Abbey asked that each of her guests bring a donation for Habitat for Humanity.

A Hand Up

Olivera, right, Milica center, with Arlie, Gabrijela and Glorija.

Olivera and her mother Milica are refugees from Bosnia who have been in the United States for more than 10 years.

Olivera, her three daughters, twins Gabrijela and Glorija, 13, Arlie, 9, and Milica moved into their home in the Spring of 2009.

A Habitat Original

Jack Wolters

“I have a disease you know. Do you know what it is?” asked Jack Wolters at his first meeting with Habitat Tucson staff. “It’s called Habitat-itis and I don’t want to lose it!”

“I’m very dedicated to building decent homes for people who have never had them,” he said, on a serious note. “Working with Habitat has been wonderful for me. It’s been a blessing.”

A Personal Story: A Dream Come True

Tony Helm with his wife, Nikki, and daugthers Alexandria and Ashley

In a way my story is like everybody else’s. It’s a dream come true. Everybody wants to buy a house for their family.

We were looking for a new place to live because things were getting rough in our apartment complex. I told my wife that I was going to check into Habitat for Humanity.

Leaving a Legacy

Bob Minton

In the early 1990’s Bob Minton was invited to a Habitat for Humanity Tucson Board of Directors meeting. “I left that night as a member of the board and the treasurer!” Bob said laughing.

He served nine years on the board, took a year off, then returned to serve again until he moved in 2007. In that time Bob was President twice.

Celebrating Habitat’s 300th Home

Rosa and Marilyn celebrating at their home dedication.

In 2009 Habitat for Humanity Tucson celebrated another milestone: the dedication of our 300th house. Rosa McFeaters and her daughter Marilyn, 9, remember that day well, the day their dream came true.

“Before we were thinking, ‘where are we going to go?’” Rosa said. “Now, I don’t have to worry so much. This house has changed our lives.”

Remembering a Founder – Mary Kelley

Mary Kelley (in pink) along with her fellow founders.

Ann Boice is a longtime Habitat friend. She remembers driving her mother, Mary Kelley, to some of the first Habitat home dedications. It was Mary, along with Reverend George Tolman and Jerry McFarland, who founded Habitat for Humanity Tucson.