Habitat Newburgh Congratulates New Family

NEWBURGH – Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newburgh congratulated the family of Teresa and Jesus on completing half of their Habitat Newburgh sweat equity requirements, by introducing them to their future home. The family has completed most of the five hundred required hours and will continue to work on the construction site building their future home alongside staff and volunteers. Teresa and Jesus are longtime Newburgh residents and have a family of five.

Habitat Newburgh’s Family Services Manager scheduled a meeting with Teresa and Jesus for Saturday afternoon and requested their family accompany them for photographs. Photos were taken outside the home located on North Miller Street in the City of Newburgh.

The home, sponsored by Presbybuild faith groups and churches, is a gut rehabilitation slated to be completed and sold to Teresa and Jesus in October.

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newburgh’s surprise house reveal for Teresa, Jesus and family was just in time for Mother’s Day weekend.

Habitat Newburgh’s “Homeownership Program”
Habitat Newburgh partners with remarkable families within our service area to provide opportunities to own a home through its homeownership program. Families must have income between 30-60% of the area median income, have the ability to pay an affordable mortgage, and be willing to partner with us through sweat equity and participation in educational classes.

Being a homeowner is more than just having a roof over your head. Homeownership builds stability, strength and self-reliance in the families with whom we partner. Children of homeowners receive better grades in school, develop fewer behavioral problems, experience fewer illnesses, and are more likely to graduate from high school and college. Family members in general have less stress and adverse health outcomes as well as improvements in mental health and physical safety. Research also indicates that families who own their own homes spend more time and money to improve their neighborhoods and take a more active role in the community.

To learn more or to apply to for the Homeownership Program contact Habitat Newburgh at (845) 568-6035 or info@habitatnewburgh.org.

About Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newburgh: Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newburgh brings together people to build homes, communities and hope. Founded in October of 1999, Habitat Newburgh is one of nearly 1,400 local affiliates of Habitat for Humanity International and is the largest and most productive affiliate in the Hudson Valley. We have completed 79 decent and affordable homes in one of the most distressed urban areas in the United States and the largest contiguous historical district in New York State. The E. Parmenter Street Neighborhood, a 22-house development on what was formerly one of the most blighted blocks in Newburgh, is now a thriving community of Habitat Newburgh homeowners. To date, over 100 families (328 children and 230 adults) earning between 30-60% of the area median income, have demonstrated a willingness to partner with Habitat Newburgh by investing sweat equity into the construction of our homes, participating in required homeowner education classes, and signing a mortgage. Habitat Newburgh homeowners contribute nearly $550,000 per year in school and city taxes. Forty two Newburgh homeowners have participated in our A Brush With Kindness minor home repair program. In addition to our work in this community, Habitat Newburgh has helped over 120 families in Haiti, Ethiopia, India, Jordan, and Mexico secure shelter.