Hampton, Va. – Casey Bartley has been to the house on Fulton Street many times over the past few months, but walking through the front door Tuesday morning was different.
The home is now hers.
“It’s amazing… no words can describe how you feel right now. It’s very overwhelming,” Bartley said.
The home, which she and her four-year-old son can now call their own, was built by Habitat for Humanity.
At a dedication ceremony Tuesday, some of the guests were those who helped with the construction, including sailors from the USS Abraham Lincoln who put in thousands of hours volunteering.
Tysinger Motor Company provided funds for the project and its employees helped out as well.
For Bartley, getting to this point took two years. After being selected, she had to put in 400 hours of “sweat equity.” With a full-time job and a son to take care of, she dedicated her Saturdays to pitching in at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, a non-profit home improvement store, then worked on her own home once construction started six months ago.
“I want it for him mainly,” she said, referring to her son.
With Habitat for Humanity, homeowners purchase the new house with a no-interest 20 to 30-year mortgage carried by Habitat. Those payments are recycled back into the program to help provide the same opportunity for other families.
“Just having this, it’s a blessing.”
Now just in time for the holidays, Bartley and her son have a new place to start creating memories.
“I've already decided where I’m putting my Christmas tree, near the window,” she said, smiling.
