Sarah Henderson holds the youngest of four children, Haylynn, as she addresses a crowd in front of her new home in South Portland last week. Drew Johnson / Sentry
Two new affordable homes were unveiled at a celebration on Sunset Avenue in South Portland last Friday.
The houses were built by Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland, which plans to build four more at the end of the road that borders Rigby Yard.
One of the homes now belongs to Sarah Henderson, who has four children and works in South Portland. Getting the home took “a lot of hard work” and a lengthy interview process, she said.
“Every interview I did, I was so nervous and I thought, ‘Ugh, they’re going to say “no,” it’s not looking good,'” she said.
Then, she got the good news.
“They told me that it was me and I cried to my boss,” Henderson said. “Then, she cried.”
Sen. Susan Collins thanks the volunteers who make Habitat for Humanity’s projects possible. At right is Paul Lones, board president of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland. Drew Johnson / Sentry
The nonprofit Habit for Humanity builds homes for people who can’t otherwise afford them. The new owners then repay the mortgage through an affordable payment plan. Recipients are required to also work to build the home, as Henderson did – one nail at a time.
“Anyone can get a house or build a home,” she said. “They can pick out the colors and things like that, but I got to build my walls; put them up, put the nails in.”
U.S. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine was one of half a dozen speakers who addressed the crowd in front of Henderson’s new home last week.
“When I look at what Habitat for Humanity does here in South Portland and across our state and country, it gives whole new meaning to the words ‘home is where the heart is,'” Collins said.
She and Paul Lones, board president of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland, thanked the volunteers and sponsors who made the project possible. Habitat for Humanity is partnered with the South Portland Housing Authority and a long list of sponsors for the six homes on Sunset Avenue.
“There are, really, only two paid staff that are building these homes,” Lones said. “So, without the weekly dedication of a very large group of volunteers, they wouldn’t be building these homes.”
Collins said she was impressed that the organization has over 300 volunteers who work on homes throughout the region.
Henderson said she feels “really lucky” to have a home for her family close to where she works and in such a family-friendly neighborhood.
“What more can you ask for?”
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
