Build VII
12 Elliot Street, New Haven

Habitat and Madison Cares members joined hands with family and friends to share a prayer
at the groundbreaking ceremony Sept. 25.

Madison Cares breaks ground on seventh build

Dedication of Build VII, located at 12 Eilliot Street in New Haven, took place Saturday, Sept. 25. The house will be home to Shanna Green and her two children.

Work days take place most weekends. Send an email if you are interested in volunteering, or are part of an organization that wants to organize a work day. Click here for directions to the work site.

In case of inclement weather, Habitat Construction Manager Adam Blasavage will post work cancellations on his blog: http://habitatgnhvols.blogspot.com. If you are volunteering through a group, make sure you know how to reach your build coordinator on the day of the build.

Homeowner Shanna Green and her two children are flanked by Madison Cares President Maureen Lopes (right) and Vice President Nancy Leckerling (left).

View Madison Cares volunteers working on the house the first day, and the home's future owner and children being interviewed in this news clip produced by Allysa Ferrazza of Quinnipiac University:

Meet homeowner Shanna Green

When Shanna Green - future homeowner of Madison Cares Build VII - thinks about living in the house at 12 Elliot Street, the image that most often comes to her mind is sitting at the dining room table eating a meal with her children. “Where we are now is crowded,” she says. “Just to be able to say a grace and eat together will be wonderful.” Shanna feels very blessed and fortunate to have been assigned to this particular house. When she was first looking into buying a home she could afford, she was referred to Habitat, an organization about which she knew little. She wasn’t sure she liked the area for which they were taking applications at the time. She applied but then withdrew her application—and kept calling to see if there were other possibilities. Just as she began to feel discouraged, she was offered a house on Elliot Street, a street about which she was “very happy and excited.” However, the house wasn’t #12. Once Shanna saw #12, with its large, shaded yard, she knew that was the one she really wanted.

Shanna Green working on her future home

She learned that it had already been assigned to another family. But she didn’t give up. Eventually she was told #12 was, in fact, available. “I really believe there is a higher power looking out for me,” she says.

How has the building process been? “Very educational! I learn a lot and enjoy doing it. I had to do 14 hours of work for the application process—after that I kept going because I met very interesting people and liked the work. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that my kids will volunteer for Habitat when they’re older.” She says that Rahim (11) and Aida (12), both students at the Amistad Academy in New Haven, will help her with planting and landscaping once they’ve moved in.

How are her children feeling about this whole project? “Oh my gosh—very, very excited. They now share the same room—my daughter especially can’t wait to have her own room. They’ve gone to other dedications and seen what it will be like. They’re so, so happy.” (And, says Shanna, she looks forward to being able to say, “Go to your rooms!”)

Shanna works at Regency House in Wallingford, a rehabilitation and skilled nursing facility. She is also pursuing a nursing degree at Gateway Community College. She has already been in the program for two years, and hopes to complete it in two years. “I’m very busy, and to be honest I have to take vacation days to do my Habitat work. Usually I take a Thursday off and also work at Habitat on Saturday.” In the mornings of her days off she often attends nursing classes. “It’s been a struggle, but I won’t give up.”

Shanna says that Number 12 Elliot Street represents “HOME. I will have more stability. It’s my dream home—mine and my children’s.” She ends our conversation with this: “After I move in I will continue to volunteer—I realize some families can’t work all the hours they’re supposed to, and I could work for them. I really thank Madison Cares from the bottom of my heart.” Having met Shanna myself, I know that this comment is accompanied by a radiant smile.

- Margit Dahl