The House that Probation Built

North Carolina Department of Public Safety

The House that Probation Built

LEXINGTON – Bernadette Hanna and her two children received the keys to their new home on Sunday, June 24. It was a very special day for Hanna and the dozens of volunteers from Community Corrections Division III and the North Carolina Probation and Parole Association who worked to build the Habitat for Humanity house.

More than 150 Community Corrections employees volunteered on Thursdays and Fridays to for two months to help build the home - many more than were needed to finish the project. "It was a great experience for those willing volunteers and we hope to do it again next year," said NCPPA Division 3 Chairperson Nancy Woodard. "We recognized the value of tangible results for our hard work. In the human service field, we often do not get to experience that."

Owner receives house keys
Roselyn Powell, Judicial Divsion III chief, presents Bernadette Hanna with the keys to her new home.

Habitat House
Some of the volunteers who worked on "the house that probation built" gather on the front porch.

Many of the volunteers who worked on the house attended the dedication and watched as Judicial Division Chief Roselyn Powell presented the keys to Hanna. Everyone attending thought it was thrilling to see Bernadette so excited and appreciative.

Habitat for Humanity engages a recipient in a very lengthy training process as well as, requiring equity hours of construction. Each volunteer walked away with a greater appreciation for their own good fortune and the personal satisfaction of knowing they had helped someone who is committed to a better life for her family.

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