Family of 5 to receive Habitat Home during annual Women Build - MSNewsNow.com - Jackson, MS

Family of 5 to receive Habitat Home during annual Women Build

By  Julie Straw - bio | email | twitter

JACKSON, MS (WLBT) - There is a lot of excitement when a family chooses to own a home for the very first time.  For one Jackson family of five, home ownership means so much more than a roof over their heads.  They join Habitat for Humanity Metro Jackson volunteers in building a house on Winter Street from the ground up.

With every pound of a hammer and buzz of a saw Katrisa Coleman's home is one step closer to being completed.

"Right now we're in a small apartment and the kids share rooms.  So right now they can have a room of their own so it is exciting," said Coleman.

What makes the Habitat for Humanity/Metro Jackson build unique is it is nearly all women volunteers handling materials and power tools.

"They're spending their time and putting in the effort to do it and it's great.  Women can do it just as well as men," said Habitat Development Director Susan Wolfe.

It is Habitat for Humanity/Metro Jackson's 13th Women Build house.  Mayor Harvey Johnson's wife, Kathy, and Congressman Greg Harper's wife, Sidney, joined the blessing the site.

"When you see the smile on that family's face, when they see that new home for the first time. It's a blessing to you," said Mrs. Harper.

"Affordable, safe homes for people, this is what we are about and what we want our city to be about.  It's exciting.  It's something you can put your hands on.  So people get excited about that because you see the fruits of your labor," said Mrs. Johnson.

In just the first day of building the first wall is erected for a house that next month Coleman's family will be calling a home.

"It's like love and support you know. I couldn't ask for anything else," said Coleman.

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