Central OK Habitat For Humanity Celebrates Quarter-Century Of Giving

By Evan Anderson, News 9

YUKON, Okla. -- Central Oklahoma's Habitat for Humanity is celebrating 25 years of helping Oklahomans get into a house of their own.

So far, nearly 900 families now have a place to call home

Habitat for Humanity has helped to develop neighborhoods all across central Oklahoma. For over two decades, those who are responsible and hardworking have been able to move into a brand new home, most say never would have happened without the help from Habitat.  

Future homeowner Lisa Sumner, with the help of more than 75 volunteers, helped build a home in Yukon she says she never dreamed she would own.

"Habitat just crossed my mind one day, I don't even know why," said Sumner. "And I'm like, I'm going to call and ask if they build in Yukon."

Sumner says it has taken a while for her to get to this point; now a single mom with two young boys, one three and the other five years old.

"I have owned a home and went through a divorce, and so, like I said, homeownership is just something I would not have been able to do on my own," said Sumner.

Sumner says the organization was looking for just one more family for a home in the Wagner Lakes subdivision. Now, she's the 700th Habitat for Humanity Homeowner in central Oklahoma.  

"So, it happened so quickly and I never would have imagined it would have happened to us. So the boys are very excited," said Sumner.

"And she's worked very hard for this. She has been required to put in 300 hours of sweat equity. Then, when she starts making her house payments, her payments will go directly into our construction budget. So she'll really be helping us build new houses," said Ann Felton, CEO for the Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity.

As another family looks forward to a fresh start, the Central Oklahoma's Habitat for Humanity plans to build at least 45 new homes next year; five in Yukon alone.

Sumner and her two sons will move into her new Habitat home early next year.