Neighbors Helping Neighbors
Just The Beginning...
Habitat for Humanity Opens First New Home...

The Hobbs Habitat office received its affiliate status in May 1999, almost two years after beginning the process.  The plight of the Paredes family reached the Habitat office, along with 75 other applicants.

The bank, credit and other references were verified within 60 days, and a recommendation was made to the selection committee.  Within 30 days, Paredes was notified in September 1999 that her family had been selected.

Because of their need for wheelchair access, their ability to pay and their willingness to partner with Habitat, the Paredes family was chosen as the first family for the Hobbs project.

Alan Paredes looks at his caregiver as Yolanda, left, Hector Ramirez and Joe Jimenez move furniture to be taken to the Paredes' new home.

Because each home is individualized in its construction, Yolanda and Ylsin had to choose one of five floor plans that would fit Alan's needs - a three bedroom, one-bath home with a wheel chair ramp, larger doorways for more accessible rooms, bars on the walls and a large shower. Ground breaking for the home took place on Jan. 4.  Work days were usually on Saturdays, to ensure more volunteers. Several requirements face new Habitat home owners.  They must have an income from 25 to 50 percent of the $36,000 median area income - between $9,000 and $18,000 - and they must contribute to the construction of the new home. For her sweat equity, Yolanda painted, hammered nails, helped put in tile for the kitchen, bath and hallway, and cleaned the tile after installation.

More than 100 volunteers from ages 15 to their 80's, from businesses, churches, and retirees helped put the house together over the next few months.

The culmination came July 20 when the electricity was turned on the the new home at Houston and Sunset Circle was dedicated.  Throughout the dedication were messages from Habitat's board of directors, the builders, volunteers and, finally, Yolanda Paredes herself.  

"I'd like to thank our Father God and all the people who helped," said Paredes.  "Come in and look at our house.  We're all proud of it."

While volunteers showed up Saturday morning at 7 am to help the family pack and move from their former house to the new one, Alan stayed with a nurse from 7 am until nearly 4 pm. A telephone was installed, too. "Saturday night was very good and very different," said Yolanda. "We just sat down in the living room - not talking - but looking at everything and at each other, trying to get things situated," said Ylsin, 17, a junior at Hobbs High School. On Monday, Yolanda juggled the arrival of the gasman and Alan's hospital bed around all the boxes filling almost every room.  Before Monday night, Alan slept with Yolanda.

Alan, Ylsin and Yolanda finally get to relax and watch TV in their new home.

"He's getting bigger and needed his own bed," Yolanda said.  "God blessed us a lot."

Moving can be almost overwhelming at times.

"My head is swimming because I have all these boxes to put up and can't find everything," Yolanda said Wednesday.  "I think about having everything put up and how the house will look then."

Thursday night, Yolanda cooked pork chops, potatoes and rice for her family.  "Maybe next week I can cook regularly," she said.

For more information on Hobbs Habitat for Humanity, call 397-4398 or go to http://welcome.to/hfhh on the web.  To see the Habitat for Humanity International site, go to http://www.habitat.org/.