2012 Home Dedications

January 28 - New Hope
Five homebuyer families from the northwest suburbs gathered at a home in New Hope for the first dedication of the new year. They were joined by neighbors, volunteers, staff, sponsors and city officials. Speakers included homeowners Gashaw and Tangut, site supervisor McKinsie Clyde, John Swanson from UnitedHealth Group and Kirk McDonald, New Hope City Manager. TCHFH Board member Tom Naughtin also presented each family with a Bible and framed “Golden Rule” plaque. Everyone at the event enjoyed the plethora of food and the children playing in the new home. View more images from the day here.

February 25 - St. Paul
New Habitat homeowner Fatuma and her two daughters opened their home in St. Paul to volunteers, sponsors and Habitat staff on Saturday. Kris Taylor, Vice President of the EcoLab Foundation spoke on behalf of the longtime home sponsor. TCHFH President Susan Haigh and Board member Cindy Gehrig presented the family with a Bible and interfaith Golden Rule. They were also joined by State Senator Mary Jo Maguire and St. Paul City Council member Dan Bostrom. The officials welcomed the family to the neighborhood, and Bostrom reminisced about he and his wife’s first home just one block down the street. View more images from the event.

February 25 - West St. Paul
It was an emotional morning in West St. Paul at the new home of Ko Main and Mai. Their large family will soon move into a home built in memory of Jim Baller, a longtime Habitat volunteer. Jim’s family sponsored the home and came from as far away as Alaska to work on site last summer. Jim’s son spoke about his father’s life of service and presented a stained glass window to the family. Also present to welcome Ko Main and Mai’s family were Pastor Mark Aune from Augustana Lutheran Church, TCHFH C.O.O. Mary Schumacher and Board member Nancy Merritt.See more pictures from the dedication.

March 17 - Crystal
On a sunny Saturday morning, volunteers, sponsors and neighbors gathered to welcome Abdirahman and Halimo and their family to their beautiful new home in Crystal. Adirahman spoke about his family’s journey from Somalia to refugee camps and then to the U.S. Site supervisor Floyd Hansen explained the benefits of the home’s LEED Silver certification, including saving the family money on energy costs. He and Mike Lilly from Cargill Cares thanked volunteers and neighbors. TCHFH CEO Susan Haigh and board member Rich Gammill also welcomed the family to their new home. Click here to see more images from the event.

March 24 - Woodbury - 900th Home!
More than 900 hardworking, low-income families have now purchased Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity homes. The organization honored its seven newest homeowner families with a home dedication at Woodbury’s Garden Gate community on Saturday, March 24. U.S. Senator Al Franken joined other community leaders in the ceremony. It was appropriate that Twin Cities Habitat surpassed the 900 milestone in Woodbury since the city has been home to 56 Habitat families, the third highest total for our affiliate behind only Minneapolis and St. Paul. See more images from the event.

May 12 - St. Paul
Habitat families, staff, volunteers and neighborhood partners gathered at the Northwest Area Foundation in St. Paul to celebrate the dedication of nine Habitat homes in St. Paul, Newport and White Bear Lake. Speakers included homebuyers Anisa and Ahmed and site supervisor Anna Morrison; Ron Kuhn, Bud’s Bunch regular crew; Joanne and Stephen Sylvander from Cherokee Park United Church; John Slade of Habitat’s St. Paul Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative; and Habitat president Susan Haigh. Lastly, the families walked down a “red carpet” to receive a presentation of a “Golden Rule” plaque from TCHFH board member Erin Dady.

May 31 - Bloomington
A group of staff and sponsors gathered together Thursday morning to dedicate the beautiful new home of Mohamed and Fatouma in Bloomington. The family will be moving into the fourth home completed and donated by longtime Habitat supporter and volunteer Larry Hossfeld. During the program, Mohamed thanked Larry and the Habitat staff for giving his family the opportunity to own a home. Betsy Reller, a former site supervisor, and Sharon Mason, shared stories about working with Larry onsite. Afterwards, everyone at the dedication had a great time eating and socializing, touring the home and watching Mohamed and Fatouma’s young son play in his new yard.

June 9 - Minneapolis
On a sunny Saturday afternoon, the community came together to celebrate the completion of the Old Third townhomes in northeast Minneapolis and the eight homebuyers families who will soon move in. After a moving opening prayer from Taqee Khaled on behalf of the MN Idea Open, homebuyer Ahmed spoke about his family’s long search for a home and thanked the Habitat donors, volunteers and staff who helped make it happen. City Councilwoman Diane Hofstede welcomed the families to the neighborhood, and Alan Arthur from Aeon spoke about the organization’s partnership with Habitat. Speakers from Wells Fargo, Builder’s Circle, and Entrepreneur’s House said they enjoyed seeing the homes completed and anticipated the start of their new summer builds. After a closing prayer by Rev. Justin Schroeder of First Universalist Church, guests toured the homes and enjoyed cake and food brought by the families. View more images from the event

June 21 - Brooklyn Park
Four homebuyer families gathered in Brooklyn Park to celebrate the closings of their homes with staff, sponsors, volunteers and community members. Homebuyer Abdulkadir thanked Habitat staff and the volunteers for giving his family the opportunity to own a home. Jay Porter from Great River Energy, who volunteered on site, spoke about his company’s commitment to volunteering with Habitat. Habitat president Susan Haigh congratulated the homebuyers on accomplishing their goals. State Representative Mike Nelson for Brooklyn Park also attended. After the program, guests mingled and all of the children at had a great time playing in the home’s large backyard. View more photos from the day.

August 25 - N Minneapolis
A group of Habitat staff, volunteers, and community members gathered at a neighborhood park in Cottage Park to dedicate the homes of three families. An opening prayer was given by Reverend Cooper of the nearby Church of Gethsemane. The three families spoke and thanked the volunteers and Habitat staff that they had worked alongside. Andy Barnett spoke of the strong support and emergence of the neighborhood community and large presence of Habitat families in the neighborhood. After the dedication, the children played in the nearby playground as the parents and volunteers enjoyed refreshments.

September 17th - N Minneapolis
A large group gathered Monday evening in North Minneapolis to dedicate the home of Melanie and family. Carlson executives, Bridging Inc. founders, neighbors, local representatives, Habitat staff and board members, and family friends were among those who attended the dedication. Melanie spoke of how her new home provides her family a permanent, safe place to grow together. Site Supervisor, Tony Backstrom, presented Melanie with a banner and a 2x4 with signatures of all the Habitat volunteers that worked on the house. He expressed that it was a wonderful experience working with Melanie. The evening closed with cake and a tour of the home.

September 22nd - Brooklyn Park
Two Habitat homebuyer families arrived with big smiles Saturday morning in Brooklyn Park in anticipation of seeing their nearly finished homes. We gathered to celebrate and congratulate the homebuyer families, all those who worked on the homes, and staff and volunteers whom have worked with the families. Several neighbors also attended the dedication to extend a welcome to the families. One neighbor spoke of the importance of having a strong community amongst neighbors for the sake of neighborhood safety as well as friendship. Those who attended the dedication socialized and toured the host home on the sunny fall morning.

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September 29th - Saint Paul
The Frogtown neighborhood in St. Paul welcomed its newest residents Saturday morning. The dedication event was held in the front yard of Rediatu and Jowhara’s new home, surrounded by autumn trees and good company. The home was built by the Holy Hammers, an ecumenical partnership of congregations that are committed to helping habitat families. Speakers at the dedication included Site Supervisor Rhonda Thorson, Holy Hammers representative Jim Fruehling, Representative Rena Moran, and TCHFH Board Member, Rick Lancaster. The Holy Hammers presented a quilt to all four children in the family as well as a photo album of the construction on the home. After the program, everyone enjoyed a feast of East African cuisine which was prepared by the family.

October 20th - Savage

October 27th - Coon Rapids
Leaves covered the ground of one of the houses dedicated in Coon Rapids on Saturday. The two children of the homebuyers imagined the fun they could have raking the leaves into a pile and jumping in them in their new front yard. Inside the home the two families gathered with Habitat staff, local representatives, neighbors, and volunteers that worked on the homes to dedicate the two homes and offer well-wishes for the happy families. The family that will be moving into a new home in Columbia Heights has four young daughters that are excited to have more space to play in their new home.

 

November 3rd - North Minneapolis, EcoVillage
Another wonderful family is moving into their Habitat home in North Minneapolis. Mesera, Jemal and their six beautiful children are overjoyed to have a permanent place to call “home”. One of the youngest boys, Adill, proudly proclaimed to the crowd, “Everybody can fit in my new house!” Family, friends, Habitat staff, neighbors, and volunteers filled the home and shared in a traditional East African meal as we dedicated the family’s new home.

 

November 10th - Fridley
The Fridley community came out in full force Saturday morning to welcome a new Habitat family to their neighborhood. Kenisha and her four children will soon have the stability and safety of a wheelchair accessible home. Over one hundred people gathered to dedicate this special home for a deserving family. Kenisha’s new neighbors were sure to give the family a warm welcome with a full breakfast and lunch, a new lawn-mower, and a variety of other gifts. Everyone in attendance could see the wonderful support that this family has in their new neighborhood.

 

November 12th - N Minneapolis
Maren and her family have been living in the Harrison Neighborhood for four years and are overjoyed to now be homeowners in their community. This family is very active in the Harrison Neighborhood Association and that connection was evident in the number of neighbors that came to dedicate the family’s new home. There were many volunteers, employees, staff, clergy, and community members that gathered to bless this new home. This dedication was a beautiful display of what can happen when sponsors, volunteers, and families come together to fill a need in the community.

 

December 3rd- East St. Paul
“East Side Pride” was alive at the dedication of two homes in East St. Paul. The two Habitat home buyer families are excited to be moving into their new homes soon, and feeling welcomed by the East Side Neighborhood Development Company and neighbors. In addition to the two families whose homes were being dedicated, there was many other Habitat for Humanity homeowners in attendance. This presence demonstrates the strength of community and support that is being built in East St. Paul through the growing number of Habitat homes in the area. Everyone in attendance enjoyed touring the refurbished home and engaging in conversation.

 

December 8th - North Minneapolis
On a snowy Saturday morning, three homes were dedicated in North Minneapolis. In an area with numerous Habitat homes being built every year, the neighbors were anxious to welcome the habitat families to the block. The children of the families ran laps around their new home, enjoying the yard full of snow. The Hawthorne Neighborhood Association was represented by their Housing Director who spoke of the vital changes and benefits that Habitat homes and families have brought to their neighborhood.

 

 

 

December 13th - East St. Paul
On an icy night in East St. Paul, dozens of people gathered in the new Thrivent Builds habitat home to congratulate another Habitat family. There was a large contingent from St. Andrews Lutheran Church whose members worked on the home from the beginning to the end of construction. There was also East Side Pride represented with welcoming and enthusiastic neighbors. A second family's home in Shakopee was also dedicated this night. Thank you to Thrivent for sponsoring these homes, and providing an inspiring example of volunteerism through your commitment to TC Habitat.

 

December 20th - St. Louis Park
This dedication marked the completion of the 2000th Habitat home in Minnesota! Habitat families, staff, volunteers, and elected officials gathered to celebrate this milestone and to congratulate three new Habitat families moving into homes built by Thrivent. Everyone at the dedication enjoyed meeting the families, hearing about the history of Habitat in MN, and eating delicious East African food provided by the families.