Habitat volunteers to begin building Youngstown home

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Habitat for Humanity of Mahoning County is raising the walls Saturday on the first of three homes it hopes to build this year.

Some 75 volunteers are expected to participate between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the building site at 8 Maranatha Drive. It will be the fourth Habitat home on the street, officials said.

The home is being built for Vera Ellis and her family. Ellis family members will be at the site Saturday as part of the 250 hours of sweat equity required of partner families, said Monica Craven, Habitat director.

More than 30 volunteers from the Westminster College football team and alumni will help with the project Saturday. Other volunteers will include Austintown Community Church, several fraternities from Youngstown State University, veteran Habitat volunteers, and first-time volunteers.

The walls were built by Choffin Career and Technical School students and were delivered to the site Monday.

Habitat officials expect construction will start around 9:15 a.m. and that the first walls will be raised by 10 a.m. Construction will continue on Saturdays and Wednesdays throughout the spring.

Volunteers on site do not need construction skills to participate. Anyone interested in volunteering for future weekends or weekdays can call Habitat at (330) 743-7244 to find out about the next volunteer orientation.

Once construction begins, Ellis will be on site weekly working and learning skills that will be helpful once she becomes a home owner. Once the house is finished, the family will buy it from Habitat for no profit with a zero-percent interest loan, Craven added.

Habitat for Humanity of Mahoning County is a faith-based, ecumenical, nonprofit organization. The Ellis home is the 33rd house built by the organization. Craven said $300,000 and hundreds of volunteers are needed for Habitat to meet its 2010 goals.