UC Holds a Street Party to Celebrate a New Homeowner

UC President Nancy L. Zimpher will join the UC volunteers at a dedication and neighborhood street party for new homeowner Megan O’Malley on May 13.

Date: 5/10/2006 12:00:00 AM
By: Dawn Fuller
Phone: (513) 556-1823

Photos By: Dottie Stover

Megan O’Malley and her kindergarten-age daughter, Shamia, will get a grand party to greet their new neighbors as representatives from UC, the City of Cincinnati, Fifth Third Bank and Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity host a street party celebrating the first-time homeowner. The dedication gets underway at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 13, at Megan’s new home, located at 3552 Haven St. in Avondale.

Cincinnati City Council President Pro-Tem Laketa Cole will issue a city proclamation recognizing the 6,000 hours that UC students, faculty and staff have volunteered over the past three years to building homes for Megan, as well as Sylvia Smith and Janie Cunningham – two sisters who became neighbors with homes located on Winkler Street in Mt. Auburn. The three homes were built in partnership with UC, Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity and Fifth Third Bank, which has pledged a total of $100,000 toward the three-year partnership. Each of the new homeowners and their families dedicated 500 hours of “sweat equity” with the volunteers before purchasing the home with a 20-year interest-free mortgage payable to Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity.

Construction got underway on Megan’s home in early September, when a group of UC freshmen started work at the site as part of their Honors Scholars service-learning English class.

UC commits to the funding to buy the construction materials. In addition to Fifth Third Bank, this year’s construction partnership is also sponsored by the Messer Construction Company, with support from University Dining Services.