Every Habitat journey has a few photos that mark the milestones. For one of our future home buyers, Cynthia S., the first was taken the day she was accepted into our homeownership program. On October 1, we took the next one, as she stood on Carter Street in Wilmington with a shovel in her hands, breaking ground on the block where she'll raise her family.

Cynthia came to Habitat tired of rising rent and tired of moving. Once she was approved, she couldn't wait to start building a house she could call her own. Partnering with Habitat, she shared, has given her the confidence to know:

Between acceptance and move-in day, every Habitat buyer completes homebuyer education, financial preparation, and 300 hours of sweat equity on the build site alongside volunteers and our construction team. Cynthia is one of three future home buyers already in place at Masons Row. She is joined by Sierra, who is on the path to ownership through our Rent to Own program, and a third future home buyer who has asked that we keep her name private. When their homes are complete, each of them will move into a home they worked to build.

Their homes are part of Masons Row, a 17-home development at Carter and Lamotte Streets on Wilmington's Eastside, with the first seven underway now. Every home is built to the Department of Energy's Zero Energy Ready standards, which keeps utility bills low long after move-in day.

Congresswoman Sarah McBride, Mayor John Carney, and State Representative Stephanie Bolden joined us, along with Greg Miraglia of PNC Bank and Jennifer Cho of Barclays. Masons Row is made possible by the Longwood Foundation, Crystal Trust, PNC, Barclays, the City of Wilmington, HUD, and federal funding through the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations, with energy efficiency support from Energize Delaware and New Ecology.

On September 30, we dedicated two new modular homes at 115 and 117 Forrest Avenue in Elsmere. For 40 years, we've raised construction dollars through grants and served as the mortgage lender for the families who buy our homes. This pilot takes a different approach. Artisans' Bank financed construction, New Castle County backed it, and Beracah Homes built both homes off-site in southern Delaware. Modular homes are built in sections at a facility, then delivered and set on their foundations, which shortens the building timeline.

Both homes will be sold to income-qualified buyers earning 80% or less of the area median income. When they sell, the proceeds repay the loan so the next homes can get started.

"We try to hold firmly to our principles and stay flexible about our tactics," said CEO Kevin Smith. Thank you to the Town of Elsmere, Councilwoman Sally Jensen, Ann Rudolph and Artisans' Bank, and Brian Cunningham, Chief of Staff to County Executive Marcus Henry, for celebrating with us.

Every golfer spot for our 28th Annual Golf Outing sold out, and on Thursday, September 10, more than 140 golfers joined us at Hartefeld National Golf Club for a day on the course, followed by dinner and an evening auction.

The outing took place during our 40th year serving New Castle County and Habitat for Humanity International's 50th. Proceeds support all of our programs, including new home construction alongside future home buyers and critical repairs that help neighbors stay safely in their homes.

Thank you to our Golf Outing Committee, led by Chair Ed Tarlov, with E. Thomas Harvey, John Krukiel, Tom Riccio, and Chip Rankin, for your leadership, time, and commitment.

Thank you as well to our sponsors, golfers, auction donors, and volunteers for making this year's outing a success, with a special thank you to our Platinum Sponsor, Harvey Hanna & Associates.