A McKinney resident and veteran was selected as the recipient of Habitat for Humanity’s 100th house built in the city.
Construction on the house, intended for eight-year Navy veteran Marion McFarland, began on June 17.
The house was made possible by the partnerships between Habitat for Humanity of Collin County, the City of McKinney, and the McKinney Community Development Corporation.
These organizations have worked together for more than 30 years. According to Habitat for Humanity of Collin County, the first house was built in 1992.
McFarland said she struggled to find stable housing for years and stayed at various locations during that time.
“I went through a couple more hardships, I lost another apartment and we ended up staying in a motel, [and] we were there for literally like seven years,” McFarland told CBS Texas News.
Despite the inconsistent housing, she said her children helped her through the tough days.
“They’ve always had a smile on their face, no matter what we went through and they encourage me a lot,” McFarland told CBS. “Sometimes, I would come in and I would cry, and they’d be like, ‘Mommy, you OK.'”
The Habitat homes are built by volunteers and sold to the homeowners for a lower price based on homeowner income.
“There’s not any builders building in Collin County under $300,000, and so this gives families the opportunity to own a home that’s affordable,” said Celeste Haiduk Cox, president of Habitat for Humanity of Collin County, per CBS.
The Owens Corning Roof Deployment Project contributed a roof to McFarland’s new home.
According to Fox 4 News, the Owens Corning Foundation donated the construction materials; Peak Roofing & Construction donated labor for the roof installation.
More than 450 current and former military members have received new roofs since the foundation began in 2016.
McFarland said she is proud of her family for making it this far and that she hopes others still struggling will keep their spirits high.
“We have been displaced and struggling to stay together for many years now. Having something to call our own is going to feel great,” McFarland told The Cowboy News. “My kids have been waiting since childhood for a house of their own. Never give up. Sometimes you may get discouraged, but don’t let it get you down.”
