Habitat to raise walls for 3 homes together

FINDLAY — Habitat for Humanity of Findlay-Hancock County will officially launch its biggest build year yet and begin construction of three homes during a Raise the Wall ceremony at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. The event is open to the public. The new homeowners, the Summers (Home #62), the Gault (Home #63) and the Greiner (Home #64) families, will share their journeys. A countdown will follow where they and their families will raise the first walls of each of their own homes simultaneously. The ceremony will be held at the build site located in Habitat's new neighborhood in the 1700 block of Bishop Lane. These are the first three of six homes to be built by Habitat in 2025. They are the third, fourth and fifth of 20 homes Habitat will build in the Krystal Ridge Addition neighborhood by the end of 2027. The first two homes were built in the fall of 2024. "This year we are celebrating 25 years of building community in Findlay and Hancock County, and we can't be more excited," said Wendy McCormick, executive director of the local Habitat for Humanity. "We can't wait to get started on our biggest build year yet with the spring builds!" For the three families who will be new homeowners in June, working alongside 225 volunteers on each of their homes during the next 10 weeks will be life transforming. The Summers, Gault and Greiner families each qualified as a low-income family unable to qualify for a conventional loan, who are willing to partner with Habitat and complete at least 400 sweat equity hours and purchase their home at an affordable price. For Kara Summers and her two daughters the idea of "home" once felt more like a wish than a certainty. Summers works as a State Tested Nursing Assistant (STNA), caring for others even as she dreams of becoming a nurse herself. Despite her determination, life has thrown its share of obstacles her way. Affordable housing in Findlay was either too expensive or simply unavailable. One afternoon, Summers came across a newspaper article about Habitat's Financial Opportunity Center (FOC). Something about the program resonated with her and Summers became the very first FOC coaching client in 2021. After paying down debts and stabilizing her employment, Summers and her daughters were selected as a Habitat Partner Family. For seven years, Amanda Gault and her 12-year-old daughter have called her parents' basement home. The space was full of love, but it wasn't their own. The houses Gault could afford to purchase needed significant repairs — more than she could manage, and the stress of not having their own home weighed heavily on her. Gault's mom had been urging her to look into Habitat for quite some time. Finally, in January 2024, Gault took a leap of faith. From that first meeting with Habitat, she began to feel hope again. She learned how to manage her spending with guidance from the FOC. And together, she and her daughter started to feel more in control of their future. Now, as construction is beginning, Gault knows this home will be more than a place to live. It's a fresh start, a foundation for their future and a space where they can create new memories together. Chris Greiner's journey is one of unwavering resilience love, and the quiet strength of a mother who never gave up. Born and raised in Findlay, her life has been anything but easy, but her heart has always been full of hope, determination and an unbreakable drive to create a better life for her family. She raised her twin children as a single parent, always working full-time — sometimes even holding down two jobs just to make ends meet. Despite the challenges, Greiner made sure that her kids had everything they needed including food, shelter and love. Even though she worked tirelessly, the dream of owning her own home always felt out of reach. She spent years working hard, and now, after many setbacks, she is finally going to have a home of her own. Build volunteers work under the guidance of construction professionals, and alongside other volunteers and future Habitat homeowners. Pre-registration to volunteer is required by calling 419-429-1400, ext. 5, emailing volunteer@habitatfindlay.org or signing up on the website at habitatfindlay.org. No skills or tools are necessary to volunteer. Through donations of money and materials and volunteer labor, Habitat is able to build a Habitat home and sell it at an affordable price. Major sponsors for the Spring Build include The Reinhart Foundation, Kreate, ADP, Marathon, Whirlpool, National Lime & Stone, the City of Findlay, GSW, Kershner Excavating, McNaughton-McKay, Ohio Logistics, The Shelly Company, State Farm — Dan Maciejewski and Van Horn Hoover & Associates. The most recent housing study released last year indicated that the Findlay community needs 150 single-family homes, costing less than $200,000, constructed during the next five years. Families seeking to become homeowners in the Krystal Ridge Addition can apply with Habitat by visiting the website or calling the office at the above phone number.