Of course the

family's need for housing is also a consideration. A visit to the current

home is conducted in order to evaluate both future housing needs and current

housing conditions.

"Our goal

at Habitat for Humanity is to partner with others in the community and

completely eliminate poverty housing in Coweta County. You would be surprised

a matter of building houses. We're also building lives," said Melanie

Gross.

The Vanderford

family was selected by Habitat to purchase a house earlier this year.

The Vanderfords are a great example of the diligence most Habitat families

display with working toward their dream of owning a their own home. They

completed their 500-hour sweat equity obligation with Habitat before construction

on their home ever started.

Joey and Debbie

are counting the days until they can move their mother and two children

out their horribly maintained rental home. Their current home has plaster

falling from the walls, rotten floors in the bathroom and kitchen and

old leaking windows.

Construction

on the new home began Sept. 28 with a donation of $10,000 from Excel Corporation.

This generous gift allowed the house to be "dried-in."

Additional

donations from Home Depot and Publix have kept the work going but there

is still a lot to be done if the Vanderfords are to be in their new home

Individual

and in-kind donations are needed as well as corporate gifts in order to

get the materials necessary to complete this home for Christmas.

Habitat is

also looking for volunteers, crews and material donations to complete

the Vanderford home. Crews will be at work on the Fisher Street house

Dec. 14 and 21. Individuals or organization willing to provide flooring

(the cost is about $1,300), cabinets, doors, plumbing ($2,000) or electricity

are needed.

"A donation

to Habitat is a great gift for the person who has everything or as a way

to honor someone who has made your life better." said Goss. "Many

families give to Habitat at Christmas time as a way of remembering the

way the Holy Family struggled to find shelter as well."

You can contact

the Newnan-Coweta Habitat for Humanity at (770) 252-9049 or [email protected].