Marty and his son had been house hunting for a new home in central Oklahoma for two years without any luck. Until one day, Marty was shopping in the Southside ReStore location at his grandma’s recommendation and saw a Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity (COHFH) New Home Construction ad that would reshape the family’s future.

Marty said many things about The New Home Construction program caught his attention, encouraging him to apply.

“It advertised a brandnew home,” Marty said. “I had tried everything else without any luck, so when I applied for the program and got accepted it was very exciting.”

Marty is a father to an active 6-year-old son. He explains the impact his son had on his decision to apply for the new home construction program.

”I wanted a home for my son and had been looking for a long time,” Marty said. “Our new home means everything and represents a new beginning for our family.”

After Marty completed the application and qualified for his Habitat home, he attended home-ownership classes and completed 100 hours of sweat-equity hours. Marty completed his commitment by volunteering with all of COHFH’s programs.

“I worked with new construction, critical home repair and in the ReStore,” he said. “While completing my sweat equity, I had a great experience, met great people and learned a lot.”

Marty said all the work he completed before buying his home was well worth it.

“I’m so thankful for this program, it has truly been a blessing for me and my family – something we’ve always wanted,” he said. “I’d like to give a special thanks to Habitat and Jesus Christ.”

Marty and his son moved into their new house in February 2023. Although they’re still unpacking, they have also begun decorating to make their house feel like a home.

He said his son is excited they are decorating his room and making the space his own.

“He’s also just started asking for a dog,” Marty said. “He loves puppies, so that’s something we might have to add once we’re settled.”

COHFH Board Chair/ CEO Ann Felton Gilliland said applicants like Marty and his son are an excellent example of what Central Oklahoma Habitat is looking for when selecting qualified applicants for its new Habitat home program.

“Applicants like Marty and his son are the reason we are so passionate about what we do,” Felton Gilliland said. “As a Christian-based housing ministry serving limited-income families in central Oklahoma, we believe in giving hard-working Oklahoma City area families a hand-up and not a handout.”

About COHFH: At Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity (COHFH), we build approximately 35 quality homes per year in the metro Oklahoma City area for qualifying, limited- income families. We are a Christian-based housing ministry working to provide families with a hand-up, not a handout. For the past 35 years, we’ve built more than 1,074 homes, enhancing the lives of homeowners. To qualify, you must have a job, a good credit score of above 600, be able to secure an affordable mortgage, attend financial education and make regular mortgage payments. Each energy-efficient home is built with hard-working volunteers, 100 hours of the future homeowner’s sweat equity and COHFH’s skilled staff. Homes are built with both high-quality donor-supplied and purchased materials. Our Critical Home Repair (CHR) program helps limited- income homeowners struggling to maintain their homes due to limitations related to income, age, disability or other circumstances. Homeowners invest 70 hours of sweat equity toward repairs, along with COHFH staff and volunteers. We also have two local Habitat ReStores open to the public. For more information, call 405232-4828. Our website is www.cohfh.org About Habitat for Humanity International: Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity found its earliest inspirations as a grassroots movement on an interracial community farm in southern Georgia. Since its founding in 1976, the Christian housing organization has grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in local communities across all 50 states in the U.S. and in more than 70 countries. Families and individuals partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Future Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, visit habitat.org.