News

Local Congregation to Dedicate 14th Habitat Home

Young, single mom sees home as her chance to fulfill her goal of attending college

Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio’s House Dedication at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 1, in its Palo Alto community will not only mark the completion of 10 more homes for local families in need, but it will mark the dedication of the 14th house fully sponsored and built by one local congregation and will signify a new beginning for one single mom.

“Remember, when you are building a house, you are helping to build a family,” said Sam Szalwinski, parish Habitat for Humanity coordinator for St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church. Szalwinski explained his congregation is happy to be completing another partnership with HFHSA. St. Mark has been involved with HFHSA for 13 years he said, having built two homes during one of those years.

“It’s a very pleasant experience to know we’ve completed another house … and to see the joy and thankfulness of the homeowner,” he said.

And “thanks” is something the home’s future homeowner, Roxanne Hernandez, can’t say enough.

“Thank you for all your hard work and dedication,” Hernandez said, explaining that working side by side with the sponsors and volunteers made the process of helping to build her home more fun. “I’m going to appreciate it so much more now.”

A single mother of a 2-year-old daughter, Mariah, Hernandez said the home is a new beginning for her because she feels it will offer the opportunity for her to go back to school.

“That is something I want to do. I want to go for nursing,” said the Frost Bank teller. “Now that Palo Alto (College) is down the street, I have no excuse.”

The affordable, no-interest, mortgage payments, which average about $400 per month including taxes and insurance, will also make the cost of college more manageable. Hernandez says she looks forward to having her sponsors visit her in her new home, something that volunteers with St. Mark do each year.

About 800 St. Mark families support the congregation’s Habitat efforts, some having been involved since 1997 when the partnership with HFHSA began. Szalwinski is one of those, having served as the project coordinator since the start. He plans to step down this year, offering someone else the chance to take the realm when the groups begins construction of another home early next year.

“It’s bittersweet…It’s been a real pleasure to work with all the people who come out to the worksite,” he said. Szalwinski plans to remain involved through fundraising and occasional visits to the construction site.

Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio is an ecumenical Christian housing organization working with families in need to build simple, decent and affordable homes without interest or profit. Future homeowners are required to perform at least 300 hours of “sweat equity,” meaning they work on their own homes and the homes of their neighbors, and they attend homeownership education classes.

Sponsors for homes in this dedication include: Holy Spirit Catholic Church/Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, Holy Trinity Catholic Church/St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, San Antonio Presbyterian Cluster, St. Luke Catholic Church/Capital Group, St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church and St. Matthew Catholic Church.

Directions: Take IH-35 South (towards Laredo), exit #149 (Highway 16). Turn right on West Villaret Road (5th stoplight), turn left on Palo Alto Road (at dead end), turn right on Aragon Drive. Turn left on Maria Isabel. Turn right at Twining. Follow the parking signs and look for the stage.