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BY PAUL CZAPKOWICZ
Times Correspondent | Sunday, September 07, 2008 | (No comments posted.)
HARVEY | The sign on the front lawn of the newly built home at 14338 Normal Avenue read, "Future Home of Delores Green and Family."
While Green and her two children are the 35th family to become new homeowners through Habitat for Humanity Chicago South Suburbs since it was founded in 1988, their home is the first to be built mainly through the work of the Cook County Sheriff's Department.
Green and her family were joined Saturday morning by Cook County Sheriff Thomas Dart, members of his office and other volunteers for a home dedication and open house.
Dart's Dream House Team is composed of mostly police officers, along with other department employees. The group also volunteered on a Habitat build in Chicago Heights last year.
Work on the Green home began in August 2007, and more than 100 members of the Sheriff's Department worked on the two-story, three-bedroom, two-bathroom house.
"This was the house that they kind of took on as their responsibility," said David Tracy, executive director for Habitat for Humanity Chicago South Suburbs.
Tracy said the Dream House Team has been instrumental in helping Habitat "transition people from poverty housing into affordable, simple, decent homes."
Dart said participants in the Sheriff's Work Alternative Program also helped construct the Green home.
SWAP is a program that provides nonviolent offenders with opportunities to do community service.
Lt. Patrick Flaherty is one of the officers who spent his weekends doing such work as installing cabinets and flooring and putting in windows and doors.
Flaherty said the project was good for department morale.
"I think it's a great program, and we'd like to do more," he said. "It feels rewarding."
Green, who is moving to Harvey from Chicago's Englewood neighborhood, called the Habitat experience "truly amazing."
"I'm looking forward to being a homeowner," she said. "It's so touching to my heart. I've met so many great people, so many inspirational people."
Financial backing for the Green home was provided by Chicago lawyer Dan Chester and his mother, Joan Binkow, of Ann Arbor, Mich.
They also helped with labor on the house, along with the Green family.
"This is an honor for me to be a part of their lives, to see them have a new opportunity, a new start, a new beginning," Chester said.
HOW TO HELP
Habitat for Humanity Chicago South Suburbs is currently constructing three homes in Riverdale at 67 E. 137th St., 73 E. 137th St. and 13744 S. State St.
Additional funding and volunteers are needed for the projects.
Interested groups or individuals can sign up online to volunteer by visiting www.hfhchgosouth.org and clicking on "Volunteer Now" in the upper right corner of page.
The plan is to have the three homes finished by November, said David Tracy, executive director for the Habitat chapter.
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