Habitat for Humanity doesn’t just build homes. We make it possible for families to build new lives for themselves. The stability and security of owning their own home transforms the lives of families in profound ways.
The Sisneros Family was chosen from a field of 28 applicants to become Habitat homeowners. Natalia and Zane Sisneros and their two sons, four-year-old Ty, and two-year-old Liam, are looking forward to life in their new home in Carbondale’s Keator Grove. Zane is a detention deputy for the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office, and Natalia balances childcare with certified nursing assistant classes and volunteering.
Parents especially appreciate what homeownership will mean for their young children. “When you’re renting, things change all the time,” Natalia said. “Now, the school Ty starts at is going to be the school he will be going to for years.”
Habitat homes are not given away. Instead they are sold to families who qualify. "We want people who have the need and are also ready to take on the extra responsibility,” Habitat President Scott Gilbert explained. “Habitat in the Roaring Fork Valley assists families that need a hand up, not a hand out. For the most part, they are working full-time in a job that cannot support the dream of homeownership without help from the community.”
Families are expected to help build their own homes. “It’s not just giving a free house to somebody," Zane, who has some construction experience, said. "It’s working towards a home. I’m looking forward to getting my hands dirty. The reason that this all works is a group of people give so much of their time and effort and energy. That’s the foundation of this great program. They’re doing it for the right reasons, and there’s nothing better than that.”