South Carolina’s very own Darius Rucker is lending a hand to his hometown.
The country star is teaming up with Habitat for Humanity and Ply Gem, a manufacturer of exterior building materials, to build 15 homes for families in need of affordable housing in North Charleston. On Nov. 10, Rucker was on hand to help with the construction of one of the homes, which will belong to a 31-year-old mother-of-two named Kenya.
“Kenya worked with Habitat for Humanity on four houses, more than 500 hours, as part of their program to become a homeowner,” Rucker, 51, tells PEOPLE exclusively. “I feel so fortunate to be a small part of sharing her story.”
Ply Gem
Families are selected for home ownership by the organization on their ability to pay a Habitat mortgage, housing need, and willingness to partner by completing 500 hours of “sweat equity” — which means being a part of the building process. When Kenya first applied to purchase a house from Charleston Habitat for Humanity, she was declined because her credit was considered too high.
Kenya then took financial management and home buying classes to learn how to budget and save and was able to successfully reapply for a Habitat house.
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Kenya, her 12-year old son, Simeon, and her newborn baby will be the first in their extended family to own a home, which she looks forward to hosting family cookouts at.
“We pay rent every month and can’t paint a wall of the house we’re in now,” Kenya said in a press release. “This will give me something to pass along. It makes me proud to think I will own my own home.”
The Charleston build, in the Joppa Way neighborhood, is a part of the Home for Good project — a nationwide campaign that has helped hundreds of families across the U.S. achieve the dream of home ownership.
Ply Gem
Since 2016, Ply Gem has donated over $1M in products and helped to build 450 homes in more than 70 communities across the U.S.
“It’s so inspiring to see all these volunteers and companies like Ply Gem and their Home for Good project come together to give back and help people get into a home they can afford,” Rucker says.
This Article Was Originally Posted at www.People.com
http://people.com/country/darius-rucker-habitat-for-humanity/
