Habitat for Humanity Corpus Christi kicks off Women Build to construct home for single mom
About 20 volunteers with Habitat for Humanity set to work Thursday morning, painting walls and digging holes for fence posts at a home in Central Corpus Christi. Next on the list was installing appliances, including a refrigerator, an oven, a water heater and a toilet.
More than a dozen of the volunteers toiling away were women.
Established in 1991, Habitat for Humanity's Women Build program provides opportunities for women across the nation to learn how to build a home, with no experience necessary, while providing strength, stability and independence through affordable housing.
The Central City house marks the first time that Habitat for Humanity Corpus Christi is participating in the Women Build program. Along with volunteers from Best Buy and Lowe's, the organization helped with construction on the home for Irma Garcia and her 5-year-old son.
Kathy Rinaldi, a ProServices specialist at Lowe's, volunteered with Women Build in Laredo for eight years starting in 2010. When she moved back to her hometown, she reached out to Habitat for Humanity Corpus Christi to get the female-empowering program going.
"It's an amazing opportunity for women to learn from," Rinaldi said. "Most women aren't too comfortable starting projects on their own homes. Encouraging women in the community to come help us will help them learn so many things from putting up a fence, painting a home or installing cabinets.
"Just by being involved, they will feel more confident doing projects at their own home."
Garcia, 37, said she currently lives in subsidized housing. She said the process to receive a home from Habitat for Humanity was long, but worth it.
"This is a great opportunity to show my son that we can succeed and move forward," Garcia said. "I want to show him we don't have to live in apartments our whole life and can own our own home."
Sasha Christensen, executive director of Habitat for Humanity Corpus Christi, said to help with costs, Garcia will have a low monthly principal mortgage payment.
While homeowners from Habitat for Humanity are required to obtain their own home insurance and pay property taxes, those amounts are rolled into their escrow payment.
"Based on their monthly income, we have to make sure their payment is no more than 30% of that," Christensen said.
Depending on the house's appraised value, Christensen said, payments will be affordable for Garcia and the organization will not profit from the sale. She said to make sure costs are low for new homeowners in the program, volunteers are necessary.
Best Buy sales associate Alondra Alejandro said she has done volunteer work through her job before because she enjoys helping others in need. Belinda Cavazos, an employee at Lowe's, said it is her first year with Women Build and she plans on continuing to help.
"It's a great cause," Cavazos said. "It's always good to give back to the community. It's something I want to teach my boys to do as they get older. If I was able to bring them, they'd be here by my side helping out."
Garcia was told her new home would tentatively be ready for her in August. She said she is grateful for everyone helping her and her son.
"It means the world to have people come out and spend their time to help a family in need," Garcia said. "I would definitely return the favor in the future. It's a great feeling to show support."
For volunteer information about Habitat for Humanity Corpus Christi, visit corpuschristihfh.org.
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John Oliva covers entertainment and community news in South Texas. Contact him at john.oliva@caller.com or Twitter @johnpoliva. Consider supporting local journalism with a subscription to the Caller-Times.
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Habitat for Humanity kicks off Women Build to construct new home
