SOUTH MIAMI HEIGHTS, Fla. (WSVN) — A South Florida organization is showing its generosity and determination with a building blitz aiming to complete 10 homes in two weeks for several families yearning for a place to call home.
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Miami sponsors the yearly accelerated construction project, called “Blitz Build.” About 2,000 volunteers come together to help make it a reality.
7News cameras captured crews hard at work in order to make the deadline. “The banging of hammers is music to our ears,” said Habitat of Greater Miami CEO Mario Artecona.
Artecona said they’ve joined forces for this effort before. They call this community ‘Habitat Landings” and, after this and one more ‘Blitz Build’ next year, there will be 62 new homes at this location.
Shantinique Ridgeway said she and her husband have always wanted to be homeowners, especially for their three children. “We come here, my kids bring me here every three days just to look at it. They love it,” she said.
Ridgeway said she puts in part of her 250 hours of sweat equity each homeowner contributes, and that gives her an even greater sense of pride. “To actually nail every wall in, every wood in, that is amazing,” she said. “Now I can really say that I built this house.”
Ridgeway said the volunteers make the process even more special.
Volunteers said they are looking forward to Feb. 25, when “Blitz Build” 2017 ends. “Well, it’s a combination of exhaustion and just sincere appreciation for what we’ve been able to do to help,” said Ron Shuffield with EWM Realty International.
Crews will continue to split up the tasks each day to get it done on time and be able to hand over the keys to new homeowners. “We haven’t missed a deadline yet,” said Artecona.
WSVN is a proud sponsor of Habitat for Humanity. For more information, check out the links below:
Habitat for Humanity in Miami-Dade
(305) 634-3628
http://www.miamihabitat.org
Habitat for Humanity in Broward
(954) 396-3030
http://www.habitatbroward.org
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