The Verdes Habitat for Humanity volunteers are ready to start building home #29.

That’s one every year since 1995, a significant success story for the community.

The building site for the upcoming season is in Alta Vista Ranch in Phoenix and the fundraising goal is $130,000. The recipient of the home will be introduced at Community Church of the Verdes services in December on a date to be announced.

Habitat for Humanity homeowners must meet several requirements to qualify. They must be gainfully employed, have the ability to pay a no interest mortgage, have excellent credit and pledge to complete 400 hours of sweat equity building the home.

Families who have benefited from recent Verdes Habitat projects have expressed their gratitude for the help.

“Because of our new home, we no longer worry about rent increases and that has helped us become financially healthy,” stated one. Another family said, “It’s easy to take a home for granted if you’ve always had the benefit of one. When you’re unable to qualify, it’s deflating. That’s where we were… unable to move beyond apartment living and paying way more than we could afford. Your support for Habitat may seem like a small thing, but for families like ours, it’s everything.”

Verde residents who want more information about how they can help with the Habitat project can reach out to the following residents. Contact Pete Sturman (Tonto Verde) to get on the carpool list of volunteers helping with construction on the house. Email sturmanp@cox.net. Watch for a flyer coming in the mail from Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona, Verdes.

Resident Christie Gorsline may be contacted for other information regarding the local Habitat for Humanity effort. She can be reached at christiewrite@yahoo.com.

Residents may also receive notices from Habitat’s national headquarters but to support the Verdes project, all donations need to go to Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona, Attn: Verdes Project, PO Box 39730, Phoenix. 85069.