Habitat for Humanity and MSU welcome family into new Maroon Edition home after pandemic delayed construction for months

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Monday morning, Starkville’s Habitat for Humanity and Mississippi State University held a dedication ceremony for the 12th Maroon Edition House.

Each year, MSU partners with Habitat for Humanity to help provide housing for local families. Chadrick Robinson, his wife Santana Turnipseed and their children were set to move into one of those homes in December of 2020.

But the pandemic changed all of that.

“It’s been so long,” Robinson said. “I didn’t ever think it was going to come.”

But Monday, the wait was finally over.

“Because we had to cut back on our volunteer numbers, it really put us behind,” said Joel Downey, Executive Director for Starkville Habitat. “So it’s taken us quite a bit longer to do this house.”

The five-bedroom, two-bathroom house is the largest one Starkville Habitat has ever built. Turnipseed says it was worth the wait.

“It was a dream come true,” she said. “Something that I’ve always wanted, something that I’ve always waited for, and I’m just thankful and I really appreciate the people that gave me the chance to be able to be here today.”

And with five kids, they will need every bit of the home’s 1,700 square feet.

“Every room will be occupied,” Turnipseed said with a laugh.

Leadership with both Starkville Habitat and Mississippi State spoke during the ceremony, welcoming the family, presenting them with gifts and saying how they hope the new home can be a shining beacon in the community.

“It’s going to be a nice, solid foundation to raise the kids (in),” Robinson said. “Everything was a blessing. I want to thank everybody.”

The couple says their kids have already picked out their rooms and that they hope to be completely moved in within the next two weeks.

“I haven’t had a whole lot in my life and I’m trying to better my life so that I can better my kids’ lives,” Turnipseed said. “So [the wait] was a bit challenging but now I think we’re on the road to success. We’re on the road to something greater.”