(Press release)

On Saturday, July 11, volunteers from Cargill Meat Solutions will join Habitat partners Pedro Gutiérrez and Teresa de la Fuente to raise the walls of their new Habitat for Humanity home at 1129 N. 10th Street. The Cargill Build is sponsored by Cargill Meat Solutions through a grant from the Cargill Foundation and additional funding from the local plant. The home is the second Habitat project that Cargill Meat Solutions has helped to fund and build since 2001.

Construction will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 11. A brief ceremony to kick off the project will begin at 1:00 p.m, and work will continue through the afternoon. Throughout the summer, Cargill staff and other volunteers will help the Gutiérrez family complete its home. Upon completion, the Gutierrez family will purchase the home at cost through a zero-interest mortgage.

Since last June, Pedro and Teresa have worked to complete Waco Habitat’s required 300 hours of sweat equity by building Habitat houses and completing New Homeowners College. The family looks forward to building its own home and having adequate space. Because two of the children have a physical disability, the home will be handicap accessible.

Waco Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit ecumenical Christian housing ministry that builds simple, decent, affordable homes in partnership with low-income families. Habitat for Humanity uses primarily donated funds and materials, and volunteer labor including that of the future homeowners (partners). Habitat is not a give away Partner families contribute at least 300 hours of sweat equity by building Habitat homes and completing New Homeowners College. They purchase their home at cost and with no interest added to the loan, and their payments help to fund the construction of more homes. Since 1986, Waco Habitat has built 120 homes.