‘Nothing short of a miracle’

I want to thank everyone for all of the support on this tremendous project. This accomplishment would not have been possible without the help of each and every person that stepped foot on this site, whether for a few hours or several days. I feel privileged to be part of this build and honored to have worked along such dedicated people.

Five days ago, I arrived on the site and was concerned that we could really have these two houses completed. The fact that the homes are completed and ready for occupancy is nothing short of a miracle.

We spent months preparing for this build. Making lists of materials and refining the schedule. No detail was overlooked we were prepared on paper. However, every minute of every day there were issues and problems that came up, things that all the pre-planning in the world could not have foreseen. For this is construction on steroids moving at the speed of light – and issues needed to be resolved at the speed of light as well. Thankfully, we had a team of professionals with decades of experience that took on every problem and resolved it on the spot and then asked “alright, what’s next?” Their enthusiasm and dedication was contagious.

Every day, after working on site for 10-plus hours, fatigue set in. And just about that time, our partner families would come here after work and marvel at their new homes being built by people they have never met. They all jumped in to help wherever they could; smiling and thanking everyone they passed. Suddenly my fatigue was replaced with an inexplicable energy that lasted to nightfall. Helping these families obtain the American dream of homeownership was all the motivation I needed to keep going.

Thank you all for allowing me to be part of this glorious week.

- Jerry Casesa