FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - It was a special holiday celebration for a group of South Florida families who moved into their new, affordable homes in Fort Lauderdale, thanks to the tireless efforts of Habitat for Humanity and its volunteers.
The five families, as usual, also helped build their dream into a reality on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
“This is a dream come true,” said new homeowner Natasha King.
King and her family were overwhelmed with joy as 7News cameras captured them inside their new home.
“We couldn’t ask for anything better than a house to call our home, and we’re so grateful,” said King.
King, her loved ones and the other four families were on hand to celebrate the fulfillment of their hard-earned goal of homeownership.
“Today, we’re celebrating the opening of five home for five new families that’ll move in shortly, in the homes that we are providing from Habitat for Humanity Broward,” said Robert Taylor, chairman of Habitat for Humanity of Broward. “It’s a great day. It’s Martin Luther King Day and all the more reason to celebrate.”
All five homes were dedicated in the Roosevelt Gardens area of Fort Lauderdale. Many of the new residences would not have been possible without the time and donations from the employees of Publix Super Markets.
“Every year we get involved, truly, from beginning to end. We have associates volunteer to build the homes, get to know the families, work alongside the families,” said Publix spokesperson Nicole Krauss, “and then today, a very special day to be able to dedicate the home to the families and welcome them, is really exciting for us.”
Volunteers, donors and special guests helped celebrate South Florida’s newest homeowners. Among them was Don Mizell, a Broward native who wrote the 1981 Stevie Wonder speech officially launching Monday’s holiday.
“Martin Luther King Day is a special holiday because it’s the first and only national holiday to celebrate an African-American,” said Mizell.
As all five families moved into their new homes, King said she is grateful for one thing.
“My kids are growing up to see such a community coming together as one, as a family,” she said. “It’s amazing, and now we can call these five homes ‘family.'”
Each family was also gifted a gold key, a Bible and supplies.
WSVN is a proud community sponsor of Habitat for Humanity. If you’d like to contact Habitat, check out the links below:
Habitat for Humanity of Broward
(954) 396-3030
www.habitatbroward.org
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Miami
(305) 634-3628
www.miamihabitat.org
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.