Build #10

  • Greenwood Street, New Haven

  • Home of the Turay Family

  • Over 50 guests jockeyed for room in the shade as the new Habitat for Humanity home of Mohamed and Kadi Turay and their children was dedicated on a bright Sunday afternoon.

    Welcoming them from the front porch with an opening blessing was the Reverend James Latimer, Pastor of the North Madison Congregational Church. Professor Jimmy Jones, Masjid Al-Islam, offered a closing blessing. With both Christian and Muslim blessings and gifts being offered by many including a set of pots and pans from Temple Beth Tikvah, it was truly an interfaith ceremony!

    Other gifts included a handmade quilt by Debra Bento of Westbrook, a home tool set from North Madison Congregational Church, gardening tools from Maureen and Dwight Lopes, a candle from Joan Rawlings, and a new sturdy snow shovel from Jennifer Pensa and the Guildford Savings Bank.

    Following the ceremony, everyone was invited in for refreshments and a tour of the new home. Some visitors also checked out the 8 foot-square tool shed in the back yard, constructed by local shoreline youth during the Raise the Roof “Build on the Green” event last spring.

    After going through a rigorous vetting procedure by Habitat for Humanity of Great New Haven, Mohamed and Kadi worked hard to help build their new home, contributing over 500 hours of sweat equity during the construction process. Don Epperson, incoming president of Raise the Roof summed up Sunday’s celebration with this comment: “The family has now achieved their American Dream”.