Highland Park United Methodist Church

Carpenters for Christ

 

 

 

Families We’ve Served

 

 

It Was a Perfect WillieBuild!

 

December and Gustavo Solis are only 26 years old but have been together for 12 years. They have four beautiful children: Gustavo 10, Dallas 8, Collin 4 and their lone daughter, Paris who is 2. This was a most fitting way to celebrate the life of Willie Tichenor with the second annual WillieBuild. Their home is at 1711 Bayside in West Dallas, a neighborhood where Willie was fond of spending many hours in service. Gus works as a maintenance mechanic and is a great father and husband. December is a stay-at-home mom, who has put her education on hold in order to raise her children and be there for the family. Home ownership will help the stability of the Solis family, and their hope is that their children will have better lives and one day be able to own their own homes.

 

The Solis said, “We are so overwhelmed with the generosity of habitat and our sponsors. we are so thankful that we want to continue volunteering even after we finish our home.”

 

 

 

 

 

Valdez Family Benefits From First Breast Cancer Build

 

Juanita Valdez is the proud mother of two wonderful boys. At the start of this year she had no idea that her family would be the beneficiaries of a home built as the first of the Breast Cancer Builds. Dr. Sheron Patterson, Pastor of Highland Hills United Methodist Church, began this non-profit effort less than one year ago to focus on breast cancer prevention while doing good works. The result is a beautiful home at 3423 Charolais Street in brand new Cedar Creek Ranch subdivision. Carpenters for Christ was proud to be the full financial sponsor for this its 55th home.

 

Sons Ernesto – 14 and James – 12 both attend Hector Garcia School in Dallas. Ernesto is the more serious of the two and finds time to draw and to work on the computer. for the time being at least, James is the real clown and is always happy. Juanita Valdez sees this family home as a place to grow up in and to be a place where hers sons can always come home to. She hopes it will encourage each of them to become achievers in life, so that one day they will own homes for their own children.

 

 

 

The Butler Family Finds Its Way to Historic Joppa

 

Carpenters for Christ began its 2008 construction year, completing two homes for two families in two weeks by the Second of March. Royal and Kimberly Butler chose the beautiful and historic Joppa area as the setting of their home, and it reminded them of their former neighborhood in New Orleans’ 9th Ward. The Butlers have been married for 18 years and are the parents of three children: Christina, age 16, Lachelsia, age 12, and Wesley, age 11. Royal is employed as a dietary associate with RHD Memorial hospital, and Kimberly has been with Target Stores for the past 6 years. Kimberly’s dream has been to have a good home, to stay together as a family and to always put God first.

 

“We have learned first-hand what it is like to lose everything you have collected over a lifetime in a matter of seconds. Even during that difficult time I never gave up hope or faith in God. I just want to thank God that we are still here living and we are able to have what is most important - each other. I know that nothing is impossible through God.”

 

 

 

The Cisneros Family Completes the “Double-Double” for 2008

 

Erica Cisneros leads the second family who claimed a home in the Joppa neighborhood as part of Carpenters Homes on the Lawn project this year. She is a native Dallasite, is 25 years old and a single mother of two children: Jose, age 7, and Natalie, age 5. She and her family have always lived in apartments, and ever since the birth of Jose she has wanted the best for her family - to live in a decent home, where her children could grow up and be raised in a stable environment.

 

“Once I applied for Habitat and found out the good news that I was approved, I shared the news with the children right away. We all rejoiced, and they immediately started coming up with ideas to decorate their rooms. We are so glad for the opportunity that Habitat has given us and know that this opportunity will impact our lives in such a positive way.”

 

 

 

The Isabel Silva Home Completes a Great Year

 

There is a special place in heaven for Isabel Silva and the hard-working volunteers from HPUMC’s Single Adult Ministries for their excellent work in the ‘speed’ build at 1818 Shaw Street that was accomplished in 6 working days and dedicated on December 8th. This was the second year in a row that the Church’s Single Adult program managed the construction process from beginning to end, from first nail driven to the frosting on the dedication cake. Special thanks, too, are in order for Bryan and Michelle Goolsby, who provided the funding for their second Habitat home in as many years.

 

Isabel is a single mother of two boys: Robert, age 5, who attends David G. Burnett Elementary School, and Carmelo, age 3. For two years Isabel has been employed as a Clinical Staff Assistant at Parkland Hospital’s Lake West Women’s Health Center. She values greatly the quality time she can spend with her boys and feels the reality of homeownership will allow her to raise her sons in a stable environment and that one day she may realize her dream of going to college. We wish her the very best.

 

 

 

The Johnsons Make New Home in Pleasant Grove

 

Gloria Johnson is the proud mother of five grown children and is excited to be moving to the first home she has ever owned. Gloria suffers from asthma, cell inflammation and arthritis and will be sharing the home at 9615 Elkwood with daughter Chenequa. Nikki, as she is known, is a long-time employee of Presbyterian Hospital and acts as caregiver to her mother. Both Gloria and Nikki enjoy church life, window shopping and being outdoors.

 

As Nikki put it so well, “My mother and I would like to express our appreciation and gratitude for all your company has done for us. You have given us a chance to be homeowners and to have something to call our own. Thank you for taking the time to let us know about the (Habitat) program and for being so kind to us.” Our Carpenters for Christ volunteers couldn’t be prouder.

 

 

 

Montgomery Home Is the First Annual WillieBuild

 

Annette Montgomery and her grandchildren are the recipients of the First Annual WillieBuild home, which concluded with its dedication on May 26, 2007. This was one of the most unique projects ever undertaken by Carpenters for Christ, as over 200 volunteers built the Church’s 50th Habitat home in honor of their friend, Willie Tichenor, who died in March 2006. Funding for the entire project was provided by gifts to the Willie Fund at HPUMC, where Willie spent so much of his time in service and fellowship and where he once served as a youth leader intern.

 

West Dallas has always been an area of special interest to Willie and his family, and Annette Montgomery’s home, at 1615 Bickers, is located there, in the heart of a redevelopment area favored by the City and Habitat for Humanity. Ms. Montgomery is employed at Wal-Mart and, after being widowed at an early age, successfully raised six children on her own. Circumstances developed that she is now raising three of her grandchildren, Hakeem, Alfonzo and Nivea, and they are all looking forward to a wonderful life in their new home.

 

 

Carpenters for Christ Funds “Women of Faith Build”

 

Every so often Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity creates a special home-building opportunity for particular groups, and Carpenters for Christ was privileged to donate the full funding for the 2007 “Women of Faith Build.”  Only volunteer women were involved in the construction of Ms. Barbara Rubles’ new home at 4719 Stokes in the historic Joppa section of southeast Dallas. Joining women from HPUMC were ladies from a number of Dallas area organizations, including the Potter’s House, Northwest Bible Church, Irving Bible Church, Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, Women of the NAACP and Dallas Association. of Black Women Attorneys.

 

The home, which counts as #49 for Carpenters for Christ, was begun on March 10, 2007 and was dedicated on May 19, 2007. Barbara is also a Wal-Mart employee and finds time for a second job at Macy’s, as well as fitting in some college hours. She has four children, Sidney, Calvin, Ashley and Titus, all of whom are in college or in high school. Barbara attends church regularly and likes to attend Christian concerts and plays. Best wishes to Barbara and her family in their beautiful new home.

 

 

 

 

Seeing Double for 2007 Home on the Lawn

 

Carpenters for Christ undertook its most ambitious start of any year when it challenged HPUMC and its partner, SMU, to build not one, but two, homes in their annual kick-off event.  The houses were begun simultaneously, and owing to a tremendous outpouring of volunteers, particularly from 400 members of the SMU student body, the homes were completed in only 16 calendar days.

 

LaToya Junior was our homeowner-partner in our 47th home at 4315 Canal Street near fair Park. She is a native Texan and the only sister among boy siblings, which gave her a sense of independence early on. LaToya is employed in health management and takes courses at the Dallas County Community Colleges. She is the proud parent of DeLaren (9) and Jada (7). The family, including fiance’, Antwine Harper, much prefers the slower pace on Sundays after church when they can spend quality time together.

 

Our other home partner was Claudette Drake, and she now resides at 4326 Canal Street with her three children in what is Carpenters’ 48th home to be built. She, too, is very busy, balancing full-time employment at El Centro College and classes at UNT Dallas. Busy like her mother 18-year old Latreace is attending El Centro and working toward her Associate’s degree in science. Son Dewayne is 17 and is a junior at Lincoln High School, while 15 year-old daughter, Sashambry, is in tenth grade.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Homes We’ve Built

 

HPUMC House #

Family

Neighborhood

 

2008

59

Winning Habits

West Dallas

58

Fall 2008

Joppa

57

Fall 2008

Frasier Courts

56

Solis

(Willie Build)

West Dallas

55

Valdez

Breast Cancer

Cedar Creek Ranch

54

Cisneros

Joppa

53

Butler

Joppa

 

2007

52

Silva

West Dallas

51

Johnson

Pleasant Grove / Elkwood

50

Montgomery

West Dallas

49

Rubles

Joppa

48

Drake

South Dallas/Fair Park

47

Junior

South Dallas/Fair Park

 

2006              (Family Stories)  

46

Humphrey

Exeter

45

Sextion

Bon Ton

44

Evans

Joppa

43

Arnold

Joppa

42

Hardy

West Dallas

41

Macias

South East Dallas

 

2005

40

Harrison     (g)

South Fair Park

39

Carraway

Limestone

38

Delgadillo

Limestone

37

Connor

Bickers

36

Craddock

Pinebrook

35

Douglas

Home on the Lawn

 

2004

34

Barrientos

Greenleaf Village

33

Robinson

Custer Dr

32

Manning

Pinebrook

31

Hearn

Pinebrook

30

Anderson     (g)

Pinebrook

29

Adame

Home on the Lawn

 

 

2003

28

Mason

Greenleaf Village

27

Hernandez

Greenleaf Village

26

Vasquez      (g)

Greenleaf Village

25

Jones

Home on the Lawn

 

2002

24

Afganistan House(s) f

23

Torio Family      (e)

Greenleaf Village

22.5

Alacon Family     (d)

Greenleaf Village

22

Romero Family    (c)

Greenleaf Village

21

Girmatsyion Family

Greenleaf Village

20

Chavez Famly

Greenleaf Village

19

Ross Family     (b)

Greenleaf Village

 

2001

18

Rojas Family

Pinebrook

17

Facundo Family

Pinebrook

16

Novoa Family

Bon Ton

15

Madrid Family

Bon Ton

14

Morin Family

Bon Ton

 

1999 & 2000

10 - 13

Community Center  (a)

Ideal

 

1998

9

Newsome Family

St. Philips

8

Ramero Family

Bon Ton

7

Bernel Family

North Fair Park

6

Perez

North Fair Park

 

1997

5

Ruiz Family

Habitat for Humanity International 60,000th house

North Fair Park

4

Lopez Family

North Fair Park

3

Blanton Family

North Fair Park

2