ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A local family will have their new home built in time for the holidays. Construction began today and will be complete in just two weeks.

It’s a special project, made particularly special by its progress despite the coronavirus pandemic said Catherine McManus, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando and Osceola County.

“Nothing is easy anymore. Everything is a little more complex,” McManus said. “And so having this opportunity not just makes one feel good because of the ultimate long-term generational impact it’s going to have on this family, but [also] seeing neighbors come together, volunteer and support one another is very meaningful during this holiday season.”

Building materials, supplies and labor for the project are being donated by the locally based Williams Company and its subcontractors.

It’s the first partnership between Habitat and Williams, a construction company founded in Orlando almost a hundred years ago. That local history makes the partnership extra special for Williams, too, according to divisional manager Matt Olberding.

“It’s the same community that [Habitat] helped build, and it’s important to be a part and help strengthen that community,” Olberding said.

A family has been identified to move into the home, which is located in Silver Pines Pointe, Habitat Orlando & Osceola’s fourth planned community. 

“They’re here in Central Florida. They’re living in really unfortunate circumstances right now, so this home, their forever home could not come at a better time,” McManus said of the family. “They’ll actually get the technical keys to the house in two weeks.”

At that point, the family will begin closing on the purchase of their Habitat home.

Fourteen families have already moved or are in the process of moving into homes in Silver Pines Pointe, which is located in the Pine Hills area. Silver Pines Pointe will have 58 single-family homes when the community is completed next year, according to a press release from Habitat Orlando & Osceola.

You can explore Habitat for Humanity’s local programs, including the homeownership program, at habitatorlandoosceola.org.

Molly Duerig is a Report for America corps member who is covering affordable housing for Spectrum News 13. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.