WEST FARGO, N.D. (KFGO) – It was a pre-dawn wake-up for Penina Adam to watch her new house being moved from the parking lot of Border States Electric where it was built onto its foundation in West Fargo this morning. Her grade school-aged children danced on the sidewalk and ran alongside Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity’s newest build as it rolled down the street.
The Adam family is originally from South Sudan. They have moved many times to escape abuse and crime.
“When I first started the process it was hard to get in but I’m so happy I kept applying. This is my year. It’s a miracle to me,” Adam said.
Habitat for Humanity homeowners must put in 250 hours of sweat equity and Adam spent many hours working on the house at Border States. 150 Border States employees also helped with the build. The company’s communications director Tom Nelson said it was a lot of coordination but well worth it.
“Seeing the kids and the smiles and the laughter…and watching them watch their house come on site – it’s pretty phenomenal,” he said.
Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity development manager Pete Christopher said this was a new experience for their chapter.
“This is the first one that we’ve done with a company in town and built on their parking lot,” he said. “Building on-site at Border States is very visible. Not only to the Border States people who are in the same industry as us so it was really good to tie those people into what we were doing, but it’s right along the interstate so we get that drive-by traffic.”
Adam and her five children will move into their house in November.