YNHH celebrates an anniversary with ninth and 10th Habitat homes

YNHH and Habitat for Humanity of Greater New Haven held a Feb. 1 groundbreaking for two new houses on Vernon Street. From left are: future homeowners Kiara and Michael Rivera; Michael Holmes, senior vice president, Operations, YNHH; future homeowners Yamilica Bracero and Jose Vazquez and one of their children, Leia, and William Casey, executive director, Habitat of Greater New Haven.

Work on the newest Habitat for Humanity homes on Vernon Street has just begun, but the families who will occupy the homes have already proven their willingness to put in extra effort.

Undeterred by the frozen earth, they joined leaders from Yale New Haven Hospital and Habitat for Humanity of Greater New Haven for a Feb. 1 groundbreaking to officially launch the build at 45 and 47 Vernon Street. These are the ninth and 10th YNHH-sponsored homes, and mark the 10th anniversary of the hospital’s partnership with Habitat.

Habitat is an international non-profit organization that builds, renovates and repairs houses for families. Families purchase their homes through affordable monthly mortgage payments and invest hundreds of hours of their own labor, along with volunteers, to build the houses.

More than 300 hospital employees have volunteered on Habitat home builds over the years. If you would like to volunteer on your own time for these or other Habitat for Humanity projects, contact Jennifer Rook.