It was a crisp winter day when José Colacilli, HPHA board president, and I, as secretary, set out for Santa Fe on a very important mission. We went to sign the deeds and mortgages for nine Habitat families from Santa Fe and Recreo.
As we drove, I wondered what the families were thinking, how they were feeling about being home owners. We passed shanty towns, one after another, I wished we could help all of those people too. We passed neat, white houses that must be part of public housing developments. Habitat is not the only organization that helps people build their home.
Once we arrived at the bright, new Habitat Santa Fe office we were greeted by Mariano Moreno, head of the Santa Fe office, and the families anxiously awaiting the paper that would make them official owners of their new homes. The families participated in different programs: from the Pilot Project the Socías and Oyola families, from the Proyecto Crecer the Correa, Toranzo, Corrales, Ayala and Vazquez familias, from the Proyecto Levantemonos the Santiyú, Chocala and Ramírez Junges families.
Mariano Colombo took pictures of the group while we got settled and José said a few words about the importance of this day. The notary, Claudia Culzoni, was already there with the deeds neatly tucked in her briefcase. Then, one at a time each family stepped into the back office to sign their name to the deed. Claudia carefully explained each page of the contract to each person present. She asked for questions then handed them the pen to sign. Many emotions filled that room, happiness, responsibility, concern, nervousness, relief, pride, success and hope. Hope that this would be the first day of the best part of their lives. José and I shook everyone’s hands and gave them a kiss and congratulated these people who worked hard to make a dream come true, who wanted a home of their own and made it possible with a little help from their friends.
José and I had to leave right away if we wanted to get back to BA before dark so we had to refuse Mariano’s invitation to visit Recreo but we did see a map of that neighborhood. There are homes built with HPHA’s help filling one whole block, and half of two other blocks. I couldn’t help thinking about the first house we built in Lujan in 2003. What a struggle it was but how much we learned since them. I have to smile because now, in the year 2008 we can actually say we are changing the face of a town but we all know this is just the beginning.
As we drove, I wondered what the families were thinking, how they were feeling about being home owners. We passed shanty towns, one after another, I wished we could help all of those people too. We passed neat, white houses that must be part of public housing developments. Habitat is not the only organization that helps people build their home.
Once we arrived at the bright, new Habitat Santa Fe office we were greeted by Mariano Moreno, head of the Santa Fe office, and the families anxiously awaiting the paper that would make them official owners of their new homes. The families participated in different programs: from the Pilot Project the Socías and Oyola families, from the Proyecto Crecer the Correa, Toranzo, Corrales, Ayala and Vazquez familias, from the Proyecto Levantemonos the Santiyú, Chocala and Ramírez Junges families.
Mariano Colombo took pictures of the group while we got settled and José said a few words about the importance of this day. The notary, Claudia Culzoni, was already there with the deeds neatly tucked in her briefcase. Then, one at a time each family stepped into the back office to sign their name to the deed. Claudia carefully explained each page of the contract to each person present. She asked for questions then handed them the pen to sign. Many emotions filled that room, happiness, responsibility, concern, nervousness, relief, pride, success and hope. Hope that this would be the first day of the best part of their lives. José and I shook everyone’s hands and gave them a kiss and congratulated these people who worked hard to make a dream come true, who wanted a home of their own and made it possible with a little help from their friends.
José and I had to leave right away if we wanted to get back to BA before dark so we had to refuse Mariano’s invitation to visit Recreo but we did see a map of that neighborhood. There are homes built with HPHA’s help filling one whole block, and half of two other blocks. I couldn’t help thinking about the first house we built in Lujan in 2003. What a struggle it was but how much we learned since them. I have to smile because now, in the year 2008 we can actually say we are changing the face of a town but we all know this is just the beginning.
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