Family Gets Keys to ‘Habitat’ Home

WHITESBORO – New homeowner Nicole Gibson never thought she would own a house, but thanks to about 130 volunteers, she and her two sons received the keys Aug. 7 to the latest Habitat for Humanity Cape May project. 
“I am very grateful for Habitat and its volunteers,” Gibson said before the house dedication ceremony. “I wouldn’t be here without them. We worked right next to them, and I plan to stay involved and help with future Habitat projects. It’s a great feeling to be able to call this our home for the first time.”
Gibson and her children Nicholas, 15, and Noah, 8, and other family members contributed over 400 hours of sweat equity into the building of their home. They worked side-by-side with local Habitat volunteers on everything from framing the house last fall, to painting their rooms in a rainbow of colors this spring.
“I’m excited to be able to decorate the house,” she added as she showed off her new, three-bedroom home.
“The boys picked out their room colors and painted, too,” she noted. Nicholas said he chose sea green for his room because it’s a “very calm” color. He’s ready to decorate it with his posters.
His mom showed off her bathroom, calling the color inside “squash orange. I don’t want a dull house,” she said.
The house at 311 W. Anna St. was built on a lot donated to Habitat for Humanity by Middle Township as part of its ongoing effort to support affordable housing in the community.
The home was the third of three partially funded by a Neighborhood Enhancement Program grant from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs and represents the eighth Habitat building project completed in partnership with Middle Township since 2011.
Many local businesses contributed, donated or discounted building materials and services to the project, including architectural plans (Christina Amey Architects), roofing (Dave Adams Roofing), appliances (Whirlpool) and countertops (Merlino Marble and Granite).
Twenty-one local churches, schools and civic organizations from Cape May to Ocean City participated in the “Blessing Project” for the house where framing studs were sponsored in support of Habitat for Humanity. 
Individual sponsors decorated the actual two-by-fours and two-by-sixes used in the construction of the house with blessings, inspirational messages and artwork, which were then built into the frame of the house.
One of the unique aspects of this house, according to Shawn Lockyear, Habitat executive director, was the partnership the organization had with Lowe’s Home Center, LLC, Rio Grande.
The employees there chose Habitat for their local “Heroes Program,” donating building materials and volunteering at the house. They also held a fundraiser in May, collecting more than $3,000 for the local organization. “It’s a fantastic new partnership,” she noted.
Robert “Budd” Springer noted that another aspect of the house is that it is a “Total Energy Star home. It’s so efficient,” he said, noting the appliances, doors, windows and vents are “super caulked.”
As construction supervisor for Habitat, Springer helped show volunteers what to do, and often, how to do it.
“It’s the fifth house I’ve been the supervisor of, and they all have their unique challenges,” he said. “We had a lot of volunteers helping with this house, including multiple groups from the U.S. Coast Guard base.”
Habitat for Humanity is not a giveaway program; the Gibson family applied for the home along with 55 other local families and was selected based on their need, willingness to partner with Habitat and their ability to pay the monthly mortgage (including property taxes and insurance). 
Gibson is a certified nursing assistant at a local nursing home and a certified medical technician.
“We applied in 2012 but didn’t make it,” Gibson recalled. “But I really wanted this, and I persevered and tried it again. The application process was pretty stressful, but I kept at it. It’s hard to own a house here, especially as a single parent so this is just so awesome to be able to call this our home.” She previously lived in North Wildwood, having grown up in the area.
Habitat homes are sold to partner families at less than market value, Lockyear said. They are made possible by the “generosity of volunteers and donors, and a zero-interest mortgage provided by Habitat Cape May.”
Habitat’s next project, Lockyear noted, is the building out of a 15,000-square-foot facility in Court House where they plan to open a ReStore in the spring.
ReStore often provides a major funding source for Habitats, as they sell gently used appliances, building materials, and other larger home improvement items they receive as donations.
To contact Karen Knight, email kknight@cmcherald.com.