Posted on 01/19/2004 5:22:08 AM PST by Theodore R.
Lubbock Habitat for Humanity joins national King celebration
By RAY GLASS AVALANCHE-JOURNAL
Lubbock Habitat for Humanity will join a national effort to embrace cultural diversity, celebrate religious solidarity and honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. as it breaks ground today for its first "Building on a Dream" house.
The 3 p.m. ceremony will be held on Dartmouth Street between North Vernon Avenue and North Avenue U in the Habitat community in North Lubbock.
Jean Mallory, Lubbock Habitat church relations director, said construction of the house will begin after the group raises $40,000 and makes the final selection of a family for the house.
She said local churches are spearheading efforts behind the "Building on a Dream" house.
"We're hoping to start within the next two months," she said.
Lubbock Habitat builds and rehabilitates houses in partnership with selected low-income families and community volunteers.
It has built 80 houses, including 42 in the past 31/2 years in the Habitat community. Two of the community's three streets have been filled. The "Building on a Dream" house will be the first constructed on Dartmouth Street, Mallory said.
Preselected families purchase the 1,100-square-foot houses for cost with 20-year, no-profit, no-interest mortgages. Family members must contribute 500 hours of volunteer labor.
Habitat for Humanity International initiated "Building on a Dream" last year, and the program begins annually on the Martin Luther King Jr. Day federal holiday.
Lubbock Habitat is participating in the program for the first year and would like to build more than one "Building on a Dream" house each year, Mallory said.
"We can build as many as we can come up with funding for," she said.
Mallory said Lubbock Habitat has plans to build 20 houses overall this year. Its annual blitz build is scheduled for September.
The group has also scheduled a Feb. 7 workshop for prospective house-buyers. Call the Lubbock Habitat office at 763-4663 for more information.
ray.glass@lubbockonline.com 766-8745
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