After a delay because of COVID-19, volunteers with Habitat for Humanity are getting back to work in Chatham-Kent to help make homeownership possible for more families.
On Tuesday afternoon, Habitat for Humanity Chatham-Kent announced that it had officially broken ground and construction will soon start on its latest house, which will be located on Bethel Road in Wallaceburg.
This will be the seventh house that Habitat for Humanity Chatham-Kent has built in the municipality and the second time one will be constructed in Wallaceburg.
Construction was initially supposed to start on the home in 2020 however those plans were put on hold due to the pandemic.
Future homeowner and mother of two Melanie Dramnitzke said the groundbreaking of the home represents something she never thought would be possible.
"I am in complete shock and overwhelmed with so much joy as I never thought this could be possible," she said. "Habitat for Humanity is doing so much more than just building a house, they are building a strong foundation to help me better my future. I can’t thank them enough for helping me make my dreams become a reality."
Unlike previous years, no large ceremony was held to celebrate the groundbreaking. Instead, a small ceremony with Dramnitzke's family will be held when it's safe to do so.
Habitat for Humanity homes are made possible with the help of volunteers as well as local businesses and organizations including Sacwal Flooring Centres Chatham, which has donated and installed flooring for the local builds since 2017 and Dresden's AUBI Construction, which is partnering with Habitat for Humanity CK for the first time on this year's build.
Families with Habitat for Humanity purchase their homes through an affordable, zero-interest mortgage geared to their income.
Mayor Darrin Canniff said the Municipality of Chatham-Kent has been a long-time supporter of the organization during its previous builds.
“The need for affordable housing is growing and it is great to see organizations such as Habitat for Humanity CK persevere through the pandemic to continue building homes and supporting local families into homeownership,” Canniff said.