Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia, Habitat homeowner families, representatives from Freddie Mac and local Habitat volunteers dedicated Habitat for Humanity homes to three new homeowner families last week.
Volunteers and homeowners worked together through the winter to restore the homes, which are part of an eight-townhome development on Lockheed Boulevard. Volunteers from Freddie Mac also dedicated time to landscaping projects at Hybla Valley Elementary School last October as part of National Make a Difference Day.
Other partners in the Lockheed Boulevard development have included Dow, ConocoPhillips, Oprah's Angel Network, and Habitat board member Michele Dandrea, in partnership with her colleagues at LeggMason.
Marie Lemmon, assistant principal at Hybla Valley Elementary School, welcomed the new homeowners on behalf of the school and the community. "To our children, these homes are everything," Lemmon said. "They represent safety, shelter, stability, and family. The hard work and kindness of the adults in this community and the volunteers of Habitat for Humanity serves our children in infinite ways."
Angel Rivera, a board member with Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia, presented house keys to the Benevidez family in English as well as Spanish in recognition of the diverse community their family represents.
"When I first met this family during our home visits I learned that Mr. Benevidez had been working through the Immigration Department for close to ten years," Rivera said. "He was able to enter the U.S. legally in 2002, and in 2003, he brought his family to Northern Virginia. He was quite persistent until his dream of bringing his family to the U.S. to live the American dream became a reality."
As Rivera presented the keys to the Benevidez family, he continued, "It gives me great pleasure to provide this family with the keys to their new home, proving once again that the American dream of homeownership is within everyone's reach thanks to organizations like Habitat for Humanity."
As a local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia has built 46 houses throughout Arlington, Alexandria and Fairfax since 1990. Learn more by visiting www.hfhnv.org.