Habitat for Humanity breaks ground on Home for the Holidays in Kissimmee
KISSIMMEE, Fla. - The FOX 35 Care Force is saluting Habitat for Humanity for Greater Orlando and Osceola County.
On Friday morning, officials symbolically broke ground with gold shovels on their annual "Home for the Holidays" build in Kissimmee.
"We are so excited," Gloria Casado said. "We are amazed about this new project. This new opportunity that Habitat and Williams Company is offering to me and my family."
The family of five moved to Florida five years ago from New York and has struggled to find affordable housing. But now, with the help of Habitat for Humanity, their dream of homeownership is becoming a reality, and the construction will be completed on a tight timeline.
"Over the next two weeks, this house will emerge and be complete and be Gloria and Francisco’s new home," said Chris Rolins of the Williams Company.
Besides pitching in on-site, the family also went through special training with Habitat for Humanity.
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"They worked with our team to build their credit and participated in our Habitat University education curriculum because we feel very strongly that all of our clients need to be informed, engaged, and empowered to be the best citizens of their community they can be to be sure they are successful homeowners," said Catherine McManus, President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando and Osceola County.
In a matter of weeks, the family will have a new home just in time for the holidays.
"I hope we can spend Christmas here," Casado said. "So that’s going to be our Christmas gift to me, my husband, and my children. We are so excited because we’re going to have a backyard!"
"I’m so thankful for this house," her son Angel Casado said.
Sometimes the best presents aren’t the ones under the Christmas tree.
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