Habitat for Humanity Breaks Ground on House for Resettled Afghans in Fulton
By Marisa Tesoro
Families and community members gathered in a grassy lot between houses on East 8th Street in Fulton last Thursday. The Habitat for Humanity sign flapped in the wind as gray clouds rolled in overhead, but no one seemed to mind. The hope in the air and celebratory mood held off the rain. Folks hugged in greeting and children ran around with umbrellas as everyone gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking of new, special house.
After more than a year of living in temporary housing, the Safi family will have a home of their own.
River City Habitat for Humanity broke ground on a house for the Safi family, an Afghan family resettled in Fulton in 2021. The Fulton MO Afghan Resettlement group had been working with several resettled families for more than year and were searching for affordable housing.
Finding accessible, affordable housing for this family of 14 proved to be a challenge, but one the group was ready to tackle. They connected with a community member who generously donated the lot for the Safi’s home before reaching out to contacts with River City Habitat for Humanity.
"We are allowed to build outside of our service area one time in the lifetime of our organization, and we are honored to be building alongside a United States Veteran to help provide his family of 14 a safe place to call home," Susan Cook-Williams, executive director at River City Habitat for Humanity, said in a statement.
They will be building a 6-bedroom ranch-style house, the biggest house they will have ever built, and are hoping to begin construction this month.
Dozens of community members gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking, including teachers, members of the Delta Dau Delta fraternity at Westminster college, staff from Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missouri and Catholic Charities Refugee Services, the Fulton MO Afghan Resettlement group, and the mayor of Fulton, Lowe Cannell.
“I hope you always feel welcome in our community,” said Cannell, “and I’m proud of the diversity in our community.”
Sheen Gul Safi, the patriarch of the family, also addressed the crowd through his translator and case manager, Sardar Sherzad.
“I’m so thankful for everything we have been given in this community,” he said. “This will ensure our future in this community.”