MIAMI, FL – December 1, 2010 – Habitat for Humanity of Greater Miami and Baptist Health will dedicate three homes on Thursday, December 2nd, to three new homeowners – two of whom are current Baptist employees. 

Brian Hambleton, a Baptist employee, and his wife Sarah will receive the keys to their home at the dedication ceremony to be held at 2:00 PM at 192 NW 12th Street in Homestead.  New homeowners Joseph Sweeting and Sheila Curtis (who also works at Baptist) and Hobart and Rosalee Williams will round out the three-home dedication. 

Baptist Health donated the properties for the Williams’ and Hambletons’ homes, sponsored the building of the Curtis-Sweeting home, and sent about 100 volunteers over the past four months to help complete the construction and rehabilitation on the three houses.  The home dedications cap the latest of many efforts Baptist Health and Miami Habitat have undertaken to provide home ownership opportunities to families in need.  Since 2000, Baptist Health has provided more than $900,000 in home sponsorship and other financial support to Miami Habitat, and has committed hundreds upon hundreds of volunteers from the Baptist Health family. 

Brian and Sarah Hambleton began putting in their ‘sweat equity’ early this year during Miami Habitat’s annual Blitz Build.  After helping build homes for other families in Miami Gardens, they would drive back down to the house that they would eventually own in Homestead, and sit in the backyard before the rehab process had even begun.

Hobart Williams feels a similar pride of home ownership.  Painting the eaves as part of his own sweat equity obligation, Hobart had a glob of paint drip into his open mouth.  When a volunteer jokingly asked him how it tasted, Hobart, not missing a beat, exclaimed: “It tastes great!  It’s my house paint!”

And it will continue to be, thanks to Baptist Health and Miami Habitat.