'My Daughters’ Safe Haven': Manchester Home Welcomes 22nd Habitat For Humanity Family

MANCHESTER, NJ — For Diana, getting her children in and out of their apartment for any outing has been a challenge.

Her 6-year-old daughters, who have spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, use wheelchairs, and the apartment where they have been living isn't wheelchair accessible.

That changed on Monday, when Diana and her daughters received a three-bedroom home in Manchester through Northern Ocean Habitat for Humanity, officials announced.

It is the 22nd home the group has helped to provide to a family in need in Ocean County.

Habitat for Humanity, which was founded in 1976, helps to provide affordable housing for families in need through volunteer efforts and donations. The recipients volunteer with the organization — usually with helping to build homes — as part of the deal in receiving a home with an affordable mortgage.

"This space will be both my daughters’ safe haven, a place they will belong and be able to freely navigate. A place adapted to their needs," said Diana, a single mother who works part-time for a chiropractor in addition to caring for her twins. "Today we get to share the joy of standing in front of our own home. They say it takes a village and thank you Habitat for being my village."

The family's new home is a combination of two private donations. A modular home in Normandy Beach was donated and moved to Manchester, almost 30 miles, to a piece of land that was donated by the Gorcey Family, Northern Ocean Habitat officials said. Motion City Media donated time and equipment to document the process through drone footage.

"This home is already filled with a lot of memories, starting with the fact it was moved here," Diana said at the ceremony welcoming her and her family home.

Once the home was in place, Northern Ocean Habitat for Humanity installed a large ramp that wraps around the house, made ADA modifications to the bathroom, and there is a spare room Diana can convert into a therapy room for her girls, Adrianna and Arianna. The girls are scheduled to attend Whiting Elementary School in the fall.

"I have had the pleasure of working beside them (the construction crews) these last few weeks. I have learned a lot from them and have asked a lot of questions," Diana said. "Thank you for the patience you had."

"Thank you, we love you and God bless you," she said.

In attendance were Habitat staff; volunteers; home sponsors; Jessica Rohr, director of Public Affairs and Outreach for U.S. Rep. Chris Smith; Manchester Council President Roxanne Conniff, and Manchester Council Vice President James Vaccaro.

The following companies and organizations sponsored the home and construction work: Air Duct Cleaning Solutions; All County Exteriors; Ben Franklin Plumbing; Carl’s Fencing, Decking, and Home Improvements; Citta Foundation; Crossroads Realty; Tom and Mike DeRiggi; Falana HVAC, LLC; Ferguson; First Energy Foundation; Gorcey Family; Grenville Hotel & Restaurant; Hemmer Family; Kohl’s Cares; Manasquan Bank; Motion City Media; Mr. Sparky Electric; New Jersey Natural Gas; OceanFirst Bank; TD Bank; Trenton Block & Hardscape Supply; Wells Fargo; and Woodhaven Lumber & Millwork.

Northern Ocean Habitat for Humanity, a New Jersey-based affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, was founded in 1999. The organization rehabilitates and builds safe houses alongside its homeowner/partner families. Northern Ocean Habitat also operates the ReStore, a retail shop that generates funds through sales of donated goods and keeps materials out of landfills. The ReStore proceeds are to support new home builds and its Neighborhood Revitalization programs. The Neighborhood Revitalization initiative includes the Home Preservation, Housing Plus Aging in Place, A Brush with Kindness, and Veteran Repair programs. These programs provide home renovations addressing health and/or safety issues, all with the goal of keeping residents in the comfort of their own homes.