Elkhart County’s Habitat for Humanity giving the Pellot family a place to call home
ELKHART COUNTY, Ind. -- One of the programs at Habitat for Humanity in Elkhart County works to provide housing for individuals in need. This gives families and individuals the chance to build their own home.
Greg Conrad, President and Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity Elkhart County tells ABC 57, “families, which we have almost 40 in our program right now, have gone through an application process. We look at their ability to pay, their willingness to partner, and their housing need.”
Some other actions are required in order to start building a home. Upon approval a person must put in 250 hours of sweat equity by doing community service and helping work on building other people's homes.
The program usually lasts between six and 18 months and after that, Habitat for Humanity home usually takes around four to six months to complete and be move in ready.
Currently Elkhart County’s Habitat for Humanity has eight houses in the works for people who are a part of the program but in total they have built 240 in Elkhart County.
For many, the prime motivation to be a part of this program is to provide a better life for their families.
Conrad explains, “Habitat of giving people the chance to achieve home ownership, the kind of the American dream of owning a home is.”
Recently a couple homeowners received their keys to their new living spaces. One of those was Alexis Pellot, who tells ABC 57’s Sidney Moore that the work was worth it to be able to provide a better space for her family and start her new beginning.
Pellot says, “it was very emotional. I am so glad I have a house of my own now for my kids and I provides a lot of stability for us, and it's something of our own, and I'm appreciative and blessed of that. “
During this process Pellot was grateful to have her community standing by her side.
“She says “it takes a village to do this type of thing. It takes a village to raise kids, and it takes a village to be able to in the Habitat program period.”
Working to get this house brings back childhood memories for Pellot as she is the second generation to work with Habitat for Humanity to get a home.
She says, “it brings me back to when we got our own house, and it was very, very emotional for me. I remember getting our own house and getting my own room, and now I feel so blessed to be able to do that for both of my boys.”
Now that she is a homeowner, she will begin paying an affordable mortgage and working on her next steps in her career. “I plan on moving in today, actually, and right now, I'm a firefighter and an EMT at Concord Fire Department, and my next step now is to pass my test to become a paramedic.”
Shes most excited about having more space. Before she lived in a smaller two-bedroom apartment and now, she has the space for both of her sons to have their own bedrooms. She explains, “I'm excited to give them their own room. We have a whole backyard to play in for them. It's very, very, very exciting for me.”
During the ceremony where Pellot was handed over the keys the living room was filled with friends, family, and co-workers all there to support her in this journey. Many of the Habitat for Humanity members also showed up and gave speeches and led prayer blessing the home upon her move in.