YPSILANTI TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — To commemorate International Women's Day, Habitat for Humanity celebrated a home dedication. The home was renovated by dozens of women as part of a program that runs in the spring and summer.
"This is like a dream come true for sure," Wendy Alfaro-Cruz, the home's new owner told 7 Action News.
It's an opportunity that allows her to achieve her goal of affordable homeownership.
"I graduated last March and so my next thing was I wanted to buy a house," Alfaro-Cruz explained.
Habitat said this is the 275th home built by the Habitat for Humanity Huron Valley Chapter since its inception in 1989.
But this one was finished by Habitat's "Women Build" program.
Leah Tessman is over development of corporate and faith relations at Habitat.
She explained, “It’s an opportunity for women to get out of their comfort zone, to come build on-site with us and, possibly, use power tools and build something, put in windows. They can put in floors, help us to do something that is typically or been known to be a man's job."
Tessman tells 7 Action News 15 teams of 120 women worked on two homes in 2022 and raised more than $69,000 for the cause.
Board member Jo Ann McCollum described Habitat's impact on the community.
"Quality of life, building families, building equity, wealth, so I love Habitat for Humanity," she explained.
Alfaro-Cruz rolled up her sleeves, putting in some sweat equity on another home, and said she's already ready to pay it forward on another home renovation project.
"Oh yeah, I'm excited for when it gets summertime so I get to do all the yard work," she said.
