Two days before Christmas Dina and Hoover, along with their two children, stood in their new kitchen embracing, while Hoover proclaimed, “now we are going to start a new life.”

Next door a similar scene unfolded as 9-year-old Kaylaisha joyfully exclaimed, “I want to put a big sign outside that says, ‘this house is our house’.”

The two families celebrated the holidays with a dream come true, a dream that for so many years seemed far beyond what they could afford.

Meeting for the first time as both families stood on their front porches, they vowed to be there for each other on this new journey. “We’re going to be good neighbors. Don’t worry.”, said new homeowner Melvin. “We will help each other,” responded Hoover. “Don’t worry about that.”

And that’s what Paterson Habitat is all about. Building community. As neighbors come together to support each other and work together to see their neighborhood grow and flourish.

Both families have invested in their new homes and their community by contributing 400 hours of “sweat equity” volunteer hours as well as paying a 1% down payment on an affordable, zero-interest mortgage. They join the over 300 Paterson Habitat homeowner families since we began building homes 36 years ago.

As we look at our plans for 2021, our goal is to see 7 more families like Kaylaisha’s see their dream of homeownership realized, as well as breaking ground on homes for 18 more families in Paterson and beyond. That's 25 more safe, affordable places to call home.

We thank you for your support in 2020 and hope you will join us as we build toward a new, hopeful 2021.