February 17, 2018 was a special occasion for Galloway Ridge. Maria Porras and her family received the keys to a brand-new Habitat for Humanity home. The three-bedroom, two-bath home took seven months to complete and is located in Siler City, North Carolina. Residents and board members from Galloway Ridge attended the dedication ceremony. These included Bob and Sandy Holton, who are residents of Galloway Ridge, as well as John Zaremba, Vice President of the Galloway Ridge Board, and his wife, Linda, who’s a member of Chatham Habitat’s Board.
Maria and her children were grateful to be on the receiving end of such kindness. For the last five years, Maria has been a beloved member of the our community, where she works as a cook. Like all Habitat homeowners, this family contributed “sweat equity” by working on the construction of their home and the homes of others, and they participated in educational programs designed to strengthen the entire family and ensure their success as new homeowners. The new homeowners will continue to make monthly payments on a low-cost, no-interest mortgage, which in turn will go toward building future Chatham Habitat homes.
Galloway Ridge is proud to be a partner of Chatham Habitat, offering support in a variety of ways. For example, community residents have made individual donations to the organization, and the Galloway Ridge Charitable Fund awarded $100,000 toward the continued development of a 28-acre Habitat neighborhood in Pittsboro called “Robert’s Run.”
“Galloway Ridge is a valued partner of Chatham Habitat. Their generosity, together with the hard work of deserving families like the Porras family, enables us, as a community, to accomplish a great deal. We’re grateful for the support of Galloway Ridge, and we’re delighted to be a part of this dream come true for Maria and her children,” commented Anna Spears Tuell, Development Director of Chatham Habitat for Humanity.
Maria and three of her children – Aracely, Ashley and José – were previously living in a mobile home in northern Chatham County. Maria also has a grandchild, who lives with her oldest daughter, Nancy. The family attends Mount Carmel Baptist Church and enjoys going to the park and the movies in their free time. Maria is looking forward to having a stable home for her children, and she’s grateful for the ability to now save money to send her children to college.
