Follow the Benford family as they build a Habitat home.  Habitat volunteer Kathie Hitt blogs about the Benfords as they go through the process of building a their own home.  

PART ONE – May 2012

Melanie Benford is a remarkable woman. She has dealt with many challenges in life, including the grave illness of one of her children. However, she stands firm and ready to face this next chapter in her life with courage, faith and love.

I am very excited to be able to write about the Benford’s Habitat home. Her family will be one of the first to move into the new Faith Subdivision on East MLK in Bryan.

Melanie spent a portion of her childhood living within a block of the new subdivision. She left the area when she was nine years old, but wants to bring her family back. Historically the area has been a bad neighborhood, she said. But this new subdivision is a way to revamp the community and an exciting opportunity to raise her own family near where she grew up.

Melanie became involved in Habitat for Humanity at age 20. She was pregnant with her second child at the time but still managed to complete her last semester of college while interning at the school and working full time. One of the requirements to apply with Habitat is to have a job for a full year. She completed that requirement and was able to apply for home ownership.

Now, a year and a half later, she and her family have completed the twelve week program that prepares all prospective Habitat owners for home ownership. This is a dream come true for her and her family. She gets to help build her own home and raise her children near where she lived as a child.

A favorite quote of Melanie’s is, “Where there is life, there is love.” The new subdivision, filled with life, will flourish, and the love of the people in the new neighborhood will bring renewal to the entire area. Join us June 6, 2012, when we break ground to dedicate the Faith Subdivision. It will be a great opportunity to welcome Melanie and her family, along with the other soon-to-be proud new homeowners. And stay tuned as I chronicle this wonderful journey into homeownership for one Habitat family.