GRAND RAPIDS—
It's a very special homecoming for one Grand Rapids family. Saturday afternoon they officially were given the keys to their new home in the Creston neighborhood as part of Habitat for Humanity.Students from Forest Hills Eastern helped raise money and do labor for the project. Now, the multiple-story, LEED certified home is a dream come true for the Charlie family. They suffered more than a decade of violence in Liberia, before finally being able to get a visa and flee to America.
Unfortunately, they were only able to bring three of their six children, with the older siblings being forced to stay behind. Now the father of the family, Lavela Charlie, works a night shift as a nurse, all while going to school and putting in hundreds of hours on the construction of his home.
As part of Habitat for Humanity, homeowners have to put in more than 300 hours of so-called sweat-equity to cover their down payment. Then, they make monthly payments on a 30-year mortgage that is interest free. They will be able to move into the home some time this summer.
