Posted July 15, 2023 By GRANT BROMLEY and ALLEN MINCEY

Sweltering heat couldn’t keep a crowd from welcoming four families into their new homes.

On Thursday, July 13, team members from the build of the homes, officials from Bradley County and Cleveland, Christian leaders and the families preparing to move into the place they will soon call home all gathered at the quadplex for a ribbon cutting ceremony.

The quadplex, comprised of four homes in a single building, marks the 150th, 151st, 152nd and 153rd homes built by Habitat For Humanity since it began its work in the area in 1990.

“I want you to know that this didn’t happen overnight,” Tammy Johnson, executive director of Habitat For Humanity of Cleveland, told attendees. “We have had the support of this community since day one. Our entire community is amazing, and a lot of times I attribute the success of this Habitat affiliate to all of the people who support it, so thank you so much — you don't just tell people you care, you’ve shown people you care.”

Continuing, she said, “We offer a hand up, not a handout.”

The homeowners worked for the past year, she said, to get to this point — and it really was work!

“They went through a very long, rigorous application process,” Johnson said, detailing how each applicant had to show a need for a home, had to partner with Habitat and take 16 weeks of classes, put in their sweat equity by contributing to the construction of their home and save up for a downpayment.

“They're gonna pay back a mortgage that’ll go back into the program and basically pay it forward,” she said. "What a beautiful description and display of Jesus’ love.”

Jesus’ presence in this project was invoked by many speakers, including Corey Divel, Habitat For Humanity of Cleveland Board president and assistant city planner, who said, “The body of Christ came together in so many parts, so many members of the body come together to build these homes in love and hope.”

He noted, “It’s such a wonderful, firm foundation to build these homes on.”

Joy Christian Fellowship has been providing Bibles at homes built by Habitat For Humanity of Cleveland for decades, and Pastor Bob Zwarych told the Cleveland Daily Banner he believed they were given away 94 Bibles, counting the four homes which brought everyone together on July 13.

“This is the day the Lord has made, right?” Zwarych said. “We'd like it to be 15 degrees cooler, but we're gonna rejoice. We're gonna be glad in it. We have a lot to rejoice about … Four families are getting the keys to a new home. Not a handyman, a fixer upper or refurbished, but brand new.”

Noting Cleveland has a high Christian population, he still defended giving out Bibles, saying, “Let this be a reminder of the day that you got the keys to your new home, and that you're getting the keys of life contained in God's word.”

Both Carolyn Ingram-Franitza and Mara Grisham had been involved in the first homes built by Habitat For Humanity of Cleveland, and had a chance to speak on what seeing Habitat cross its 150th home means to them.

Ingram-Franitza said she remembered when Habitat first began, hearing about it at Broad Street United Methodist Church, and was so glad to see it come to Cleveland, while Grisham remembered helping one of the first residents shop for items for her new home.

"Thank you for being the community that wants to help their neighbors, the community who is the hands and feet of our Father in Heaven," Grisham said.

Pivoting to the present, Jerra Barker, one of the new homeowners, spoke on behalf of all four families at the ribbon cutting ceremony.

“Today four families stand before you, completely humbled, beyond grateful and dying with anticipation to move into our very own homes," Barker said to applause from attendees. "To say that this is a blessing seems like such a simple clichéd phrase. However, the little word 'blessing' means God's favor and protection, and if you know the Lord, then you know just how impressive that covering is over us when we say this is a blessing."

Having a place they can call their own, as well as living as neighbors with the families they have gotten to know over the course of this process, is something Barker said they were all excited about.

"This has been a journey that will forever impact our families' lives, and we want to thank every sponsor, volunteer, core worker, board member, family member and friend who has came alongside of us, encouraging us, believing in us and giving their time to help us achieve these beautiful homes."

Felicia Rhan, another of the new homeowners who had a young son, Mac, learned of Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland from her former neighbors, Vincente and Aurelia Rodriguez, who moved into their Habitat home just over two years ago.

"When they were getting ready to move out, [Aurelia] came down with Nicole Massengill’s card and said, ‘You need to do this … you need to look into this’," Rhan remembered. "I kind of waited a few months, then contacted them and got the ball rolling … and it’s just amazing."

Michelle Hutto said she has been in the Habitat program for a little over a year, "and I have gained so much knowledge, and it's such a blessing. I was required [at part of sweat equity] to do 300 hours at the ReStore and actually helped building the home.

"But now, I don't have to worry about homelessness ever again." Hutto has two children — Kanniyah and Kendall — who will be living with her.

Marta Diaz and her granddaughter, Deborah, will be moving from an apartment where they live with six other family members to their own place at the quadplex. Though both are limited in speaking English, she did say that she was "happy, happy" to have her new home.

The exact time for each family to move in has not yet been set. There is still some work to do at the site, including paving the parking area, but officials said it will be soon.

Amid the sweat from the heat, and many tears of joy, everyone was delighted to see the ribbons cut at the four front doors at the quadplex.