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By Jim Carney
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 09:18 p.m. EDT, Apr 12, 2009
STOW:Rochelle Fisher often drove by three vacant lots within one block along Graham Road and dreamed about Habitat for Humanity houses.
Fisher, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Summit County, wanted to build Habitat homes outside Akron, and the lots in Stow looked perfect.
''I passed them a dozen times and I thought, 'I've got to find out about those lots,' '' she said.
Formal groundbreaking will occur on the Stow project at 1:30 p.m. Monday at 2285 Graham Road, even though work on the three homes already has begun.
The new outreach into suburban Summit County has been a goal of Fisher's since she took over the nonprofit Christian housing ministry's local chapter three years ago.
''This is truly a milestone for Habitat for Humanity of Summit County,'' she said.
Of 143 houses built in Summit County since the group's founding in 1987, only six have been outside Akron: One is in Copley Township and five are in Barberton.
Almost all of the houses were built in Akron because lots were less expensive and public utilities were readily available.
But Fisher plans to seek funding for six more homes outside Akron.
She was looking for a Stow site because one of the families in line for a home lived and wanted to stay there since one of the children was enrolled in a special-needs program in the community.
Annie Looft Garduno and her husband, Arturo, applied for a Habitat home in late 2006 and were approved in early 2007. They immediately began putting in 500 hours — 250 hours each — of the volunteer requirement.
Initially, they were selected for an Akron home, but that became a problem last year when the one child began attending a special program at Stow-Munroe Falls' Indian Trail Elementary School.
Annie Garduno said the family was close to dropping out of the Habitat program to stay in Stow for the school program.
But Fisher was able to secure the lots on Graham Road and the family was put on the list for one of those new homes.
''Rochelle really went to work for our family,'' said Garduno, 30, who has a teaching degree and is working on a master's degree at Kent State University. Her husband is a drywall and painting contractor.
Cost of homes
Fisher said the three Stow homes will probably cost about $110,000 each.
Families that meet income and other qualifications must volunteer hours at Habitat building sites and receive a no-interest 20- to 30-year loan to pay back Habitat for the cost of the house.
Melissa Robison of Akron and her 11-year-old daughter will move into another of the Stow homes.
Robison, 29, a licensed practical nurse, said she and her daughter often drive by the site.
''I look at the cement in the ground,'' she said. ''That is how excited I am.''
The Central-Hower High School graduate said she feels blessed to have been chosen as a Habitat family.
''It is unbelievable,'' she said.
The homes on Graham Road are partially funded by the Summit County Economic Development Department and HOME Partnership Funds.
Fisher gives a lot of credit to County Executive Russ Pry for the new Stow Habitat houses, expected to be finished before Christmas.
Fisher said she talked with Pry shortly after he took office about the need to grow outside Akron and he came through: Summit County will allocate about $40,000 in federal funds for each of the three Stow houses.
Pry praised the work of Habitat for Humanity, saying, ''I would like to thank all of the partnering organizations, volunteers and project sponsors for going to such great lengths to provide safe and affordable housing opportunities for area families.''
Garduno's house is sponsored by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, which donated nearly $81,000 for the home, and members of area Lutheran churches will help with construction.
Coalition of help
Robison's house will be built by volunteers from the Hudson Coalition of churches and businesses, who also will pay $40,000 for the house. In addition, Habitat will request $40,000 from a FirstEnergy Habitat grant.
The third house, which has not yet been assigned a family, is also expected to be funded from a $40,000 FirstEnergy grant, along with other money from the Ohio Housing Trust Fund and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati.
Fisher also praised Stow Mayor Karen Fritschel.
''We look forward to meeting the new families and helping them adjust to their new surroundings,'' Fritschel said.
The Summit Habitat group is bound by its covenant to build in all of the county, Fisher said.
''Our goal is to serve the entire county,'' she said.
And after Habitat signs were erected at the Graham Road sites, it became clear that there are willing volunteers who welcome the expansion.
''Since we put the signs up and dug the holes, our phones have been ringing off the hook from people in Stow,'' she said.
For more about Habitat for Humanity of Summit County, call 330-785-2700 or go to http://www.hfhsummitcounty.org.
Jim Carney can be reached at 330-996-3576 or jcarney@thebeaconjournal.com.
STOW:Rochelle Fisher often drove by three vacant lots within one block along Graham Road and dreamed about Habitat for Humanity houses.
Fisher, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Summit County, wanted to build Habitat homes outside Akron, and the lots in Stow looked perfect.
''I passed them a dozen times and I thought, 'I've got to find out about those lots,' '' she said.
Formal groundbreaking will occur on the Stow project at 1:30 p.m. Monday at 2285 Graham Road, even though work on the three homes already has begun.
The new outreach into suburban Summit County has been a goal of Fisher's since she took over the nonprofit Christian housing ministry's local chapter three years ago.
''This is truly a milestone for Habitat for Humanity of Summit County,'' she said.
Of 143 houses built in Summit County since the group's founding in 1987, only six have been outside Akron: One is in Copley Township and five are in Barberton.
Almost all of the houses were built in Akron because lots were less expensive and public utilities were readily available.
But Fisher plans to seek funding for six more homes outside Akron.
She was looking for a Stow site because one of the families in line for a home lived and wanted to stay there since one of the children was enrolled in a special-needs program in the community.
Annie Looft Garduno and her husband, Arturo, applied for a Habitat home in late 2006 and were approved in early 2007. They immediately began putting in 500 hours — 250 hours each — of the volunteer requirement.
Initially, they were selected for an Akron home, but that became a problem last year when the one child began attending a special program at Stow-Munroe Falls' Indian Trail Elementary School.
Annie Garduno said the family was close to dropping out of the Habitat program to stay in Stow for the school program.
But Fisher was able to secure the lots on Graham Road and the family was put on the list for one of those new homes.
''Rochelle really went to work for our family,'' said Garduno, 30, who has a teaching degree and is working on a master's degree at Kent State University. Her husband is a drywall and painting contractor.
Cost of homes
Fisher said the three Stow homes will probably cost about $110,000 each.
Families that meet income and other qualifications must volunteer hours at Habitat building sites and receive a no-interest 20- to 30-year loan to pay back Habitat for the cost of the house.
Melissa Robison of Akron and her 11-year-old daughter will move into another of the Stow homes.
Robison, 29, a licensed practical nurse, said she and her daughter often drive by the site.
''I look at the cement in the ground,'' she said. ''That is how excited I am.''
The Central-Hower High School graduate said she feels blessed to have been chosen as a Habitat family.
''It is unbelievable,'' she said.
The homes on Graham Road are partially funded by the Summit County Economic Development Department and HOME Partnership Funds.
Fisher gives a lot of credit to County Executive Russ Pry for the new Stow Habitat houses, expected to be finished before Christmas.
Fisher said she talked with Pry shortly after he took office about the need to grow outside Akron and he came through: Summit County will allocate about $40,000 in federal funds for each of the three Stow houses.
Pry praised the work of Habitat for Humanity, saying, ''I would like to thank all of the partnering organizations, volunteers and project sponsors for going to such great lengths to provide safe and affordable housing opportunities for area families.''
Garduno's house is sponsored by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, which donated nearly $81,000 for the home, and members of area Lutheran churches will help with construction.
Coalition of help
Robison's house will be built by volunteers from the Hudson Coalition of churches and businesses, who also will pay $40,000 for the house. In addition, Habitat will request $40,000 from a FirstEnergy Habitat grant.
The third house, which has not yet been assigned a family, is also expected to be funded from a $40,000 FirstEnergy grant, along with other money from the Ohio Housing Trust Fund and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati.
Fisher also praised Stow Mayor Karen Fritschel.
''We look forward to meeting the new families and helping them adjust to their new surroundings,'' Fritschel said.
The Summit Habitat group is bound by its covenant to build in all of the county, Fisher said.
''Our goal is to serve the entire county,'' she said.
And after Habitat signs were erected at the Graham Road sites, it became clear that there are willing volunteers who welcome the expansion.
''Since we put the signs up and dug the holes, our phones have been ringing off the hook from people in Stow,'' she said.
For more about Habitat for Humanity of Summit County, call 330-785-2700 or go to http://www.hfhsummitcounty.org.
Jim Carney can be reached at 330-996-3576 or jcarney@thebeaconjournal.com.
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