Habitat for Humanity of Chilton and Autauga Counties completed and held dedications recently for three homes in Chilton County.

Habitat held a dedication for the home of Janet Autrey, Katherine Connell and their family on Oct. 12.

The family worked alongside Habitat volunteers to refurbish a home built in 2005 in Clanton that they moved into the weekend after the dedication.

“We all appreciate this house more than anybody could ever know,” Autrey said. “It was an amazing gift from God.”

Autrey’s son Cole, her niece Victoria and nephew Christian live with Autrey and Connell.

Autrey said a friend at the Chilton County Department of Human Resources encouraged her to apply for a home through Habitat, and she did in February 2013 despite doubts she had about being approved.

“I said, ‘I’d like to have a house,’” Autrey said. “I was renting, and renting is not owning. Owning your own home gives you stability. You can take care of stuff yourself.”

Autrey said Habitat called her in October 2013 with good news about her application.

“They said we have three houses that are refurbished, and we think you would be a good candidate for one of the houses,” Autrey said.

Autrey and her family then filled out paperwork, Habitat representatives came and looked at their living conditions and the family was approved for a refurbished home a few months later.

The family was required to complete homeowner classes and assist other families with working on their homes through Habitat.

“A lot of people think that it’s freely given, but you really work for it,” Connell said. “We had a lot of help from our family and friends.”

The family and Habitat volunteers worked on the house’s air conditioning, plumbing, flooring, light fixtures and landscaping.

They also cleaned and repainted the house.

Patrick Douglass was the construction leader of the project.

“He was the man over our job, and he was amazing,” Autrey said. “Everybody from Habitat of Humanity—without them, God and hard work, I wouldn’t have gotten this house.”

Autrey’s pastor, George Creel, dedicated the house.

Autrey said she appreciated local restaurants that provided food for workers during the project, including Papa John’s, Pizza Hut, Sonic, Jack’s, McDonald’s, Burger King and Shoney’s.

She said Wendy’s and Zaxby’s offered to provide food, too.

Autrey said she was grateful to her boss, Grace Gibson, at Walmart in Calera for letting her take off work when she needed to attend a workday at her house or another Habitat family’s house.

Autrey and Connell said their family is pleased with their new home and consider the process “well worth it.”

“I want to build onto that house, and I want it to be our home center for our family,” Autrey said.

Habitat held a dedication for the home of Stacey and Jose Reyes and their family in Clanton on Oct. 5.

Pastor David Reed, the Reyes’ pastor from Refuge Baptist Church, dedicated the house.

Another Habitat dedication was held for the home of Josh, Charlene and Zachary Dennis in Clanton on Oct. 26.

Habitat partnered with the Dennis family, Clanton Lions Club and Clanton Evening Lions Club to build the house, which better accommodates Zachary, who copes with ongoing physical limitations due to injuries he sustained in a car wreck several years ago.

As stated on its website, Habitat for Humanity of Autauga and Chilton Counties is “part of a global, non-profit housing organization operated on Christian principles that seeks to put God’s love into action by building homes, communities and hope.”

Habitat is dedicated to eliminating substandard housing locally and worldwide through constructing, rehabilitating and preserving homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions.

For more information or to apply for a home, visit HabitatAutaugaChilton.org.