Fox Valley Habitat will host virtual ceremony to dedicate new home

Montgomery-based Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity will hold its first virtual home dedication at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec.5.

The online event is open to the public. To attend, visit Habitat’s Facebook page, facebook.com/FoxValleyHabitatforHumanity.

The Estrada home—a two-bedroom, one-bath frame ranch with detached garage--is Habitat’s 65th new or upgraded home in Aurora, North Aurora and Montgomery since the Christian volunteer group’s founding in 1988.

The ceremony celebrates completion of the Connie Estrada home at 423 Parker Ave. in Aurora. Groundbreaking took place Jan. 18 for the fourth annual Faith Build, a partnership of area faith communities.

According to Barbara Zegiel, Habitat funds coordinator, 22 area churches have signed up to support the Faith Build. Aurora partnering churches are: Advent Christian, Flowing Forth United Methodist, Our Lady of Mercy Catholic, St. John United Church of Christ, St. Mark's Lutheran and Westminster Presbyterian; Batavia church partners are: Bethany Lutheran and Congregational; Geneva church partner is: Rejoice Lutheran; Montgomery church partner is Genesis Community; Naperville church partners are: Community United Methodist, Grace UMC, Wesley UMC, Good Shepherd Lutheran, River Glen Presbyterian and Trinity Church of the Nazarene; Oswego church partner is: Oswego Presbyterian; Sugar Grove church partners are St. Katharine Drexel Catholic and Sugar Grove UMC; Yorkville church partners are Trinity Church UMC and AuSable Grove Presbyterian.

Additionally, the Oswego office of Thrivent Financial Services has pledged a $105,000 matching grant to the Estrada home.

Zegiel announced a fund drive for the Estrada home. In a message to faith communities she said, "So far our faith commitments are only at $56,891. We are far behind and Fox Valley Habitat needs your help to get this home paid for. We have many outstanding debts to be paid due to COVID-19.

"Unfortunately we had to hire construction companies to come and finish the work our volunteers usually do, and we had to purchase building supplies that usually gets donated, which means that the church commitments are not coming in either to help pay for those services and products. Please find it in your hearts to please help us to raise the additional $49,000  so we can get the matching dollars from Thrivent Financial for the Estrada family."

"If anyone in your church is in need of affordable housing, please call me at 630-206-5038 or go to our website foxvalleyhabitat.org," Zegiel said.