Courtesy photo
Ribbon Cutting for 12 Homes in Summit
Morris Habitat for Humanity
Morris Habitat for Humanity, a major builder and leading advocate for affordable housing in New Jersey, celebrated the completion of 12 new homes in Summit with a dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony held on December 14, 2023. The celebration brought together the new Habitat homeowners, government officials, volunteers, donors and staff who partnered together to complete the new condominium complex.
“Today is a momentous occasion,” said Liz DeCoursey, Morris Habitat CEO. “We are celebrating alongside the 12 families who will soon be moving in and calling 146 Morris Avenue home. These families have worked hard putting in their ‘sweat equity,’ building their own homes.”
Morris Habitat provides a hand up not a handout to homeownership. Each of the new Summit homeowners performed between 300 – 400 hours of ‘sweat equity’ working alongside other Habitat volunteers toward building their homes.
Planning for the Summit project started in 2015 when Morris Habitat began meeting with the City of Summit and the Italian American Club, the previous owners of the property. While DeCoursey acknowledged the lengthy timeline, she also noted Morris Habitat’s commitment to every project as a “miracle” for families and children.
DeCoursey highlighted the diverse effort that led to the project’s completion. “Those of us who are committed to this work are not a homogenous group. We are from different backgrounds with different skills and experiences, some coming from nonprofits, businesses and government agencies. We come from different houses of worship, different towns and we speak different languages. Our individual differences make us stronger together, much like the community we helped build here today. But we all have one thing in common. We all believe everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home–a home where memories are made and where dreams come true.”
Helping to make those dreams come true were 1,006 volunteers from civic, church, corporate and school groups who donated 7,660 hours of labor toward building the condominiums.
DeCoursey lauded all who came together to make the project possible, acknowledging a $1.4 contribution from the City of Summit and $100,000 from the Summit Civic Foundation. Other major funders included the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Sponsors included the Braunwarth Family; Cavalry Episcopal Church; Central Presbyterian Church; Fountain Baptist Church; St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church and Hope Sferra. Other in-kind services were provided by Bowman Consulting Eikon Planning and Design; Dave Bossart of Property Research Associates; Kennon Surveying; Schenck, Price, Smith and King; architect Seth A. Leeb and Stewart Surveying and Engineering. Construction sponsors included GAF and United Site Services.
The invocation and house blessing were made by Reverand Denison Harrield of Wallace Chapel AME Zion Church. Other speakers at the event included Nora Radest, Summit Mayor; Lorissa Luciani, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs; Peter Elliot, Summit Civic Foundation; Dawn Scocco, Provident Bank; Doug Wright, Morris Habitat Chief Construction Officer; Tom Wescoe, Morris Habitat Director of Construction; and Loretta Rivers, Morris Habitat Director of Family Services.
ABOUT MORRIS HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Morris Habitat for Humanity is part of a global, nonprofit housing organization, Habitat for Humanity International, committed to building homes, communities, and hope. The organization, which is one of the leading builders of affordable housing in New Jersey, serves 68 municipalities in Morris and Middlesex Counties and the Greater Plainfield area. Through volunteer labor and monetary donations and materials, Morris Habitat builds affordable new homes and provides home repair services to income eligible families and individuals. Since 1985, Morris Habitat has served nearly 1,000 families through building 188 local homes, preserving 431 homes for low-income and senior residents, and helping 373 families with housing solutions worldwide. The local affiliate organization has engaged more than 150,000 volunteers in its various programs. Morris Habitat also operates a successful ReStore home improvement and furnishings outlet in Randolph which has kept 17,588 tons of reusable materials out of landfills and funded 36 homes. For more information, visit MorrisHabitat.org or call 973-891-1934.
