VALDOSTA — To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the St. Francis Center, the Outreach Center of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, parishioners are joining with Valdosta-Lowndes County Habitat for Humanity to build a home for a local family. 

A groundbreaking ceremony will be held 10 a.m. Saturday, April 30, at the location of the home to be built on 2nd Avenue (near Hill Terrace), church representatives said in a statement. 

The family selected for this home is a single mother with four children ages 15, 14, 10 and 10. The mother is employed full time and she and her family work every week toward their 350 “sweat equity hours,” church representatives said. 

‘They are very excited about getting a new home,” they added. “The groundbreaking ceremony is open to the public; all are invited to attend.”

This year is the 35th anniversary of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Habitat for Humanity local affiliate. The 50th anniversary of the St. Francis Center occurred in 2020; unfortunately, the COVID pandemic delayed the project, church representatives said.

“As Catholic Christians, we are called to act for justice, to promote community inclusion and the well-being of all, and to care for our brothers and sisters,” they added. “As stated by the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops, ‘the Catholic tradition teaches that human dignity can be protected and a healthy community can be achieved only if human rights are protected and responsibilities are met. Therefore, every person has a fundamental right to life and a right to those things required for human decency.’ 

“Adequate housing is one of those things required for human decency. Our church is committed to these actions as we implement our partnership with the Valdosta-Lowndes Habitat for Humanity to build a home for a local family selected by Habitat.”

Valdosta-Lowndes County Habitat for Humanity has built more than 250 homes in the Valdosta area during the past 35 years. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, an average of seven to eight houses were built each year. This year, it is anticipated that six houses will be built.

Contacts for this project are Mike Bourgoin, executive director of the Lowndes-Valdosta Habitat for Humanity, Sr. Nuala Mulleady, director of social services for St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, and John Storrings, parishioner at St. John Catholic Church.