Jose and Guadalupe Arriaga

Jose and Guadalupe applied for a Habitat home in July 2006. They lived in a small mobile home in Mooresville, which was not big enough for their soon to be growing family. Strict limits on children's toys outside and limited space made it hard for their two girls, Nataly and Arely, to play outside. Jose and Guadalupe were accepted as a partner family in October 2006. With the support and prayers of their church in Cornelius they Arriaga's dream of home ownership came true on September 9, 2007 when their house keys were handed to them.  The Arriaga's are the 29th and final homeowners in the Mooresville Eddy Place subdivision.

  The family said of their experience, "We are the Arriaga family; we would like to share with you all the happiness that gives us to have our own home and to know that our children now have their own room."  "We want to give thanks most of all to the one who believes first and foremost in the Habitat program; God."

Missy Zalepka

Missy and her two children Katlyn and Brandon, moved into their home in Mooresville in December 2006.  Missy's home was sponsored by Lowe's Inc. and the volunteer labor came from Lowe's employees.  Missy's commitment to building her home helped her overcome the many tiring Saturdays when she would get off from working a 3rd shift with Freightliner just in time to help build her house.  When asked what was like the first time she walked into her home, Katlyn said, "it was the greatest feeling and knowing that I don't have to move into another apartment unless I move out!"  Missy says that Brandon's allergies are better now because there is no mold in their new home.

Shirley Clark

"I did not really have a 'home' before Habitat and could not get ahead because I was a single mom of three. As time went on, years of renting came and went as my kids grew up. My daughter got pregnant in the 12th grade. She was not able to take care of the baby, so as a grandmother, I stepped in and took care of him.

I started working at Davidson College in 2000.

Someone came to the college and told us about housing in Davidson and suggested I apply for a Habitat house. In 2003, I put in an application. When they called to tell me I was approved, that was the happiest day of my life.  I shouted and cried and thanked God for Habitat and told Randy, my grandson, that we got us a house and we can call it home.

Lowe’s sponsored my house. My job was to get my credit cleared off, work 100 hours of sweat equity and be on site each Saturday to help build. In all, I worked 244 hours!

Shirley receiving her house key

I thank God, and last but not least, I thank Lowe’s for my home, a home that I can afford. I sleep in peace and again I thank God because he made my dream come true. My favorite memory was the fun we had working on Saturdays with so many nice people from Lowe’s.

My victory is starting my life over from the beginning. And this time I am happy.