Saturday: UC Formally Kicks Off Fifth Project with Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity

Volunteers tackle their largest challenge yet – building a four-bedroom home.

Date: 10/1/2007 12:00:00 AM
By: Dawn Fuller
Phone: (513) 556-1823

Photos By: Dottie Stover

UC/Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity construction site

The University of Cincinnati is building community in the Uptown by building one home at a time. UC’s fifth project with Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity formally gets underway at 10 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 6, at the construction site located at 3570 Haven St. in Avondale.

This is the third home that UC volunteers will be building on Haven Street. Two other homes built by UC volunteers are located on Winkler Street in Mount Auburn.

The dedication ceremony brings together representatives from UC, Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity, the neighborhood and UC student volunteers as they are formally introduced to future homeowner Simone Edwards, three-year-old son Myron, and one-year-old daughter Simya.

Edwards, an employee for the Hamilton County Department of Job and Family Services, will invest 500 hours of sweat equity into the home, which she will purchase with a 25-year, interest-free mortgage made payable to Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity.

Approximately 20 UC students enrolled in a first-year Honors English service-learning course started construction on Sept. 4 – two weeks before classes began. They pre-framed the walls on UC’s campus as the site on Haven Street was prepped for construction. (Watch video of the first work by the students in the University Honors Program).

UC volunteers will spend their Saturdays working at the site until the construction is completed in the spring.

UC commits to the funding to purchase the materials for construction, in partnership with Fifth Third Bank and the Messer Construction Company. University Dining Services also supports the project, providing Saturday lunches for the volunteers.