In
May of 1993, we were again the winning bidder in acquiring the land
on which our next home was to be located on Hamilton Street (also
in Albion) this time, for John and Audrey Farrington and their children,
Chris, Steve, and Leah. The Farringtons moved in in the fall of
1994.
Our third home was started in the spring of 1995 on a lot donated
by Joe and Debbie Martillotta. Ray and Mindy Porteus and their children,
Tyler, Dakota, McKenzie, Ryann, Kimberly, Tanya, and Cassidy moved
in in August 1996.
In early May 1997, work began on the Stork Street home of Blanche
Jackson and her family; Lelia, Adrian, Toni, and Jeremiah. Don Kennedy
donated the land. This was our first venture in the village of Medina,
New York. We build wherever we are able to acquire land, usually
by donation, provided the site is suitable. The Jackson's moved
in in the fall of 1997.
Joyce Munn and her two sons, one of whom is confined to a wheelchair,
became the owners of our fifth home in the fall of 1998. It was
located adjacent to the Jackson's.
By the end of 1999, we enabled Melissa Soule and her three children
to move into their new home on Stork Street in Medina, marking the
completion of our sixth building project.
Unfortunately, the expense of our seventh project increased when
we had to purchase property on which to build. Nonetheless, a home
on Hamilton Street in Albion was completed in the summer of 2001,
and Orest ("Audie") and Catherine Usselman and their children moved
in that September.
In 2002, we completed our eighth home on East State Street in Albion.
It was the first time we were helped by Care-a-vanners, people who
live out of their R.V.'s and travel the country helping to build
Habitat for Humanity homes. The house at 639 E. State Street is
the new home of Lisa Santiago and her family.
Our ninth home in Carlton, New York under the able site supervision
of Paul Dittman was completed in the spring of 2004. Tracey Andre
and her family of four children moved in just before Easter of that
year. That was the first time our efforts received major backing
from the Lions Club in Kendall, New York. We also had the help of
Care-a-vanners for two weeks on that build.
Work on our tenth home began in September 2004 and the Winston
Campbell family moved in June of 2005. Again, the first two weeks
a group of Care-a-Vanners helped with the build; the Winston Campbell
family of five were active on the build as well. That home was in
the village of Albion on a donated lot on Lyndun Drive. The home
was dedicated July 31, 2005.
A ground breaking ceremony on our eleventh home took place on the
morning of July 9, 2006 in Albion on Crimson Drive. Our newest homeowner
partners, the Brownell family, are eagerly anticipating the fun
and rewards of earning their own sweat equity as their build goes
forward over the next few months.
Work began on house twelve in August 2008 and was finished in the
summer 2010. The Dhondt Family, Sean and Felicia and their young
daughter are our partner family in this build.
House 13, our first rehab, started in Medina in February 2011.
We're working with Community Action and Niagara-Orleans BOCES to
provide a home for the Cody Family.