32 The Queens Courier • OCTOBER 17, 2013 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com NO PLACE LIKE HOME Family gets house thanks to Habitat for Humanity BY MAGGIE HAYES [email protected] Dawnette Dixon finally has her own home and even a backyard, fixed up by none other than a former president. Habitat for Humanity acquired five New York City Housing Authority (NCYHA) homes in the borough that were abandoned, boarded up and a “blight” in the community. One of those homes was on 112th Road in Jamaica, which was vacant for roughly two decades. It is also the home Dixon, her son and daughter will be moving into early next year. “We said to the city, we’ll turn the homes around,” said Neil Hetherington, CEO of Habitat for Humanity NYC. Hetherington and the Habitat team hosted the 30th Annual Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project to build and repair homes citywide. President Carter, 89, and his wife have been working with the group for almost 30 years, and the Jamaica home was part of a country-wide tour fixing houses. Carter worked the power tools and his wife moved slabs of wood, all part of constructing a new deck for Former president Jimmy Carter, 89, helped Habitat for Humanity fix the Jamaica home where Dawnette Dixon and her family will soon live. the Dixons. Hundreds of volunteers and the Dixons themselves worked on the new house. Construction is estimated to be complete in six to eight weeks. As well as cleaning up the once-vacant home, Habitat for Humanity makes upkeep for the home affordable for people like Dixon, 53, who works for the Department of Health. They receive government grants and state mortgages which can make living affordable in the long haul. “Now they have the pride and dignity associated THE COURIER/Photo by Maggie Hayes with not only building their home, but paying for their home,” Hetherington said. “It’s helping in a dignified way.” Dixon, who lived in Brooklyn for most of her life, “can’t explain how excited” she is. She is moving to the home from a cramped apartment in Prospect Park. “This is a change of environment, a change of scenery and a new life,” she said. “Even if I don’t have anything in the house, as long as I’m living there, I’m happy.” FREE Eye Exam WITH PURCHASE OF COMPLETE PAIR OF GLASSES OR EYE EXAM ONLY – $25 (REG. $85) COMPETITIVE PRICES with • Personalized Service & Attention • Our Professionally Trained Staff Will Give You A Careful Fit • Newest Styles • No Gimmicks 20% OFF ALL PURCHASES not to be combined with any other offer Varilux no-line bifocals progessive lenses w/plastic or metal frames $170 Choose From Over 300 Frames Some restrictions 2 Pairs of Eyeglasses (Frames & Lenses) $99 may apply. Not to be combined with any other offer. Choose From Over 300 Frames Some restrictions may apply. Not to be combined with any other offer. We Honor Most Competitor’s Coupons WE ARE A LOCAL FAMILY-RUN BUSINESS, NOT A CHAIN. WE OFFER PERSONAL SERVICE WITH HIGH QUALITY & LOW PRICES HUGE SELECTION! 50% OFF non-prescription sunglasses. Some restrictions may apply. Not to be combined with any other offer. • Lenses Duplicated • Motor Vehicle Exam • Prescription Filled • Adjustments Done At No Extra Charge • Lab on Premises • Tinting • Eye Exams Clifford Optical 38-19 BELL BOULEVARD, BAYSIDE • 718.229.8086 OFFERING THE LOWEST PRICES ON CONTACT LENSES Martin A. Funeral Home L.L.C. – Call for a FREE Planning Guide – • Our Services are available in all areas • Large Parking Facilities at all Locations • Personal Service, 24 Hours a Day • Burial and Cremation Services Available • Family Owned and Operated • FDIC Insured Pre-Plan Accounts • Pre-Arrangements Available • Out of Town Service, Call Us First • Shipping Specialists John A. Golden: Member of K. of C. and C*KHS; Thomas A. Golden III: Member AOH, KHS (Owner, Operators) 149-20 Northern Boulevard • Flushing • 718-359-6300 10-25 150th Street • Whitestone • 718-359-1122 36-46 Bell Boulevard • Bayside • 718-428-2210 Please Visit Our Website @ www.gleasonsfuneral.com Martin A. Gleason Funeral Home L.L.C.: The Preferred Choice
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