Hazel Street
Morristown
Morris Habitat’s First Student Build!
This two-family duplex was anonymously donated to Morris Habitat through Riker Danzig, and is our first all-youth-built house. Both units have two bedrooms.
Two homeowner families were selected in November 2006 and September 2007. Roger and Sallie McCalister are a retired couple. Chakia Clark is a single mother with one daughter. Both families are currently paying more than 50% of their income in rent. Once their new homes are completed, they will have stable housing for a no-interest mortgage payment that is less than half their monthly rent.
Interior demolition was begun over the December 2006 school holiday break by a ten-man crew of students and graduates of Morristown, Randolph, and Parsippany Hills High Schools, aged 14 to 21. One dumpster was completely filled after a day of using sledge hammers and crowbars, shoveling, lugging, dumping, and tossing out the window. The college students who had raised money for this project especially enjoyed coming back to participate in this work day.
The groundbreaking ceremony in February 2007 marked the beginning of the interior renovation phase. Students aged 5 to 25 from the thirteen chapters in the Youth United program were responsible for completing the rehabilitation work with the aid of Morris Habitat’s construction manager Russ Moran, adult volunteers, and the new homeowners. Younger children served lunch and built bird houses. Older students ran fundraisers, oversaw construction work, and helped with the rebuilding.
Renovation got off to a strong start with all plumbing and heating work for both units donated by AGS Plumbing & Heating Corp. of Elizabeth. Roofing was provided by Halcyon Roofing Solutions, Inc.
Youth United raised over $80,000 since 2004, surpassing their original pledge of $60,000 for the renovation of this duplex. Money from yard sales, candy sales, car washes and basketball games supplemented the many sponsorships gained through successful grant applications. Additional funding came from the HOME Investment Partnerships program, United Way of Morris County, the Argosy Foundation, BJ’s Charitable Foundation, Community Foundation of New Jersey, Friendly’s Restaurant of Morristown, The Provident Bank, Sovereign Bank and the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation. Funds raised at the 1st Annual Share the Care Fun Run held in Morris Plains in 2008 sponsored a room.
After two and a half years of work on this complicated renovation, the Clark and McCalister families celebrated the dedication of their homes with supporters and volunteers in April 2009. They became homeowners in July as they moved into the 40th and 41st homes completed by Morris Habitat.
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Youth Work Crews
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Donors of Services and Products
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