The Panola Chapter of Habitat for Humanity needs land on which to build its ninth house.
Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry that helps to put people into homes. They use a time-tested formula of volunteer labor plus donations of money and materials to build simple, decent homes for qualified families who might not otherwise be able to afford them.

A vital part of Habitat’s success is that it requires the homeowner’s participation in the volunteer labor — both for the recipient’s own home and others constructed by Habitat. The home is sold to the qualified recipient at no profit, but the volunteer labor is counted toward the down payment on the home, and the homeowner makes monthly mortgage payments that go back into Habitat coffers to fund the next Habitat house.

That has worked well so far for eight Panola families among the 300,000 built by Habitat around the world since its founding in 1976.

It’s time to make it work for the ninth family.

“We are ready to start,” Panola Habitat chapter secretary Mary Murphy said. “We have volunteers on hand; we have a lot of people that’s willing to help and donate their time,” Murphy added. That volunteer help, incidentally, includes people skilled in building trades.

The Regina Morris family has already been qualified for the Habitat assistance, Murphy continued.

What’s needed is land — at least two acres in the South Panola School District, Murphy said. Somewhere among readers who see this is the connection between the land needed and a deserving family. Complete the connection. Call Murphy at 578-2930.