White Sands Habitat for Humanity breaks ground on 45th home

ALAMOGORDO — White Sands Habitat for Humanity recently broke ground on their 45th house, giving a local mom and her three children the home of their dreams.

The soon-to-be home is going to Erica Desrosiers, her two daughters and son. 

"The conditions she's living in now are just rough for her," said White Sands Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Kuia Taiaroa. "She's living in a two bedroom apartment. She's in the master bedroom and all three kids have to share the other room."

To be eligible for a Habitat for Humanity home, Taiaroa said a family must meet three criteria. The first criteria is need, the second is the ability to pay a mortgage and the third is a willingness to partner. 

"Before we let them see the property we're going to start construction on, they have to put in 50 (sweat equity) hours in first. That can be at our office, some of those hours come from budget classes," Taiaroa said. "She has just been an exemplary example of the program."

Desrosiers, who works a traditional 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday job at Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center, has been earning her sweat equity hours each weekday during her lunch break and on Saturdays. 

"That is really showing your willingness to partner," Taiaroa said. "She only gets an hour lunch and she's coming in every day to put 45 minutes towards her home." 

Taiaroa said 2017 was a hard year for White Sands Habitat for Humanity as they weren't able to construct any homes due to revisions being ironed out by the national organization.

This build was made possible due to a $11,300 donation White Sands Habitat for Humanity received from 100 Women Who Care, a local group with a philanthropic mission. 

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"I took Erica with me and we were given five minutes to give a presentation about why we should receive the money," Taiaroa said. "I told them I wanted to put a face to where their money would go and that it would go directly to the construction of Erica's home. We won and then a lot of those ladies came out during the ground breaking to show support and see where their money is going — it was beautiful." 

Desrosiers' home is going to be the sole focus of White Sands Habitat for Humanity's annual Women Build event on May 12. An estimated 60 women are expected to work on the home during the event. 

Each home build takes about five months and as always, more volunteers are needed to make this home a reality. 

"We have a wonderful partnership with BEAR (Basic Expeditionary Airfield Resources) Base at Holloman Air Force Base," Taiaroa said. "They actually started this last year, they're getting credit towards whatever they need to be at BEAR Base to help construct our homes. It's on the job training, so my Construction Supervisor was telling me the other day that these three guys that helped us last year told their higher ranking officer that they've learned more at our Habitat sites than anywhere else."  

Previously, White Sands Habitat for Humanity struggled to get volunteers to help build during the week. Because of their partnership with BEAR Base, White Sands Habitat for Humanity has been able to get homes built faster than ever before. 

"It's been so helpful to us," Taiaroa said. "But I'm always looking for more volunteers." 

White Sands Habitat for Humanity is always looking for partner families and advise those who are interested to come into their office, 1109 10th St., to get an application. In the same building, Habitat for Humanity's ReStore is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.

For more information, visit White Sands Habitat for Humanity's Facebook page or call their office at 437-6562.

More:Worth the wait: Habitat for Humanity helps Tularosa man