OSI builds connections with local family

OSI builds a house

AURORA, Colo. -- Special Agent Angela Miles, of Detachment 801 from the Buckley Office of Special Investigations, helps to construct a house while volunteering with other members of her detachment for Habitat for Humanity of Colorado, on Oct. 22. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class John Easterling)

Published Nov. 3, 2008
By Airman 1st Class John Easterling
460th Space Wing Public Affairs

AURORA, Colo. -- Members of the Buckley Office of Special Investigations volunteered a day of their time to work construction with Habitat for Humanity of Colorado Oct. 22.

Special Agent Katrina Curry organized the event on behalf of OSI.

"(It's about) teambuilding and giving back to the community," SA Curry said.

The home OSI worked on will be going to a family who has been waiting two years for the chance to improve their housing and financial situation and quality of life.

Mr. Djilala Abed, and his wife Soumia, first applied for a Habitat for Humanity home in 2006 and currently live with their two children and Djilala's mother in a two-bedroom apartment.

Mr. Abed said that the neighborhood he currently lives in is not safe for his children.

The Abed's are required to spend at least 250 volunteer hours each, working on Habitat houses, including their own. The new four-bedroom, one-and-a-half bathroom home is scheduled to be completed by the end of November. After completion, the home will be sold at cost to Mr. and Mrs. Abed, around $85,000, with a monthly mortgage based on what the family can afford.

Habitat for Humanity has provided low-cost, affordable housing to more than 1.5 million people since 1976. All construction is done by volunteers and more often than not it's done by large groups volunteering together.

"It's much easier for us to do community service projects as a group rather than as individuals," said SA Curry.

"We've appreciated everyone coming out and helping," said Mr. Abed. "We're very excited to finally move into this house."

OSI is the latest of many Buckley organizations to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity of Colorado.

For more information on Habitat for Humanity, visit their Web site at www.habitat.org.