Video: Habitat For Humanity Builds Hope With Remodeled Home

TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – Moments after Word of Life Pastor Tommy Galloway spoke a prayer of dedication,  Tamara Norman was doing a happy dance in her home.

For more than two years, Norman has put in a lot of work on other Habitat homes, and this home on Montana Drive.

“Blood, sweat and tears,” Norman said.

Unlike most Habitat homes, this one is not a new construction. This home was built in 1972 and had gone into foreclosure. Wells Fargo owned the house, and donated it to Habitat for Humanity of Northeast Mississippi. Then the real work began. Wesley Partin directed volunteers from the area, state and nation.

“We re did the roof, decking and all, new sheetrock , new wiring, plumbing, new tubs, new toilets, redesigned the kitchen, more open, new cabinets, basically what you have is an early 70s house, shell, new interior,” Partin said.

There were a few surprises during the rehab, but Tamara Norman says the experience taught her and her three children that hard work and perseverance pay off.

“When I can say, this is mine, I can say it and mean it and it actually belongs to me,” Norman said.

As executive director of Habitat for Humanity, Michelle Shepherd has worked with Tamara through the entire process .

“I wasn’t just privileged to work with her, I was privileged to have her as a friend, so this is really a meaningful event to watch somebody you’ve gotten to know, and you know they need it, you know they’ve worked hard, you know they needed a hand up, not a hand out,” Shepherd said.

Tamara will spend the rest of the week moving into her home, just in time for her son’s ninth birthday party.

Habitat homeowners are required to put in hundreds of hours of work on their house. They also have affordable mortgage payments