Habitat for Humanity, TD Bank Team up to Provide Home for Ironbound Family

A ceremonial house dedication took place Friday in the city’s Ironbound District, where the Gama family received the keys to an affordable, rehabilitated house. The occasion spotlights the alliance between TD Ameritrade, the Ironbound Community Corporation, the city of Newark and Habitat for Humanity, Newark in creating affordable housing in the city.

The property was once a foreclosed eyesore. Now, with the help of hundreds of volunteers and the hard work of the Gama family, the house is complete.

The home is a duplex, two-story building with a three-bedroom home on the first floor and another three-bedroom home on the second floor. The structure was gutted to the studs and rebuilt with new electrical, plumbing, and roof, as well as a new heating system and many other Energy Star features.

The Gama family will live in one unit, with another partner family in the other.

“This once foreclosed property will be home for two families who have worked hard, and who are educated on how to keep the property both financially and physically secure,” said Jeffrey Farrell, executive director of Habitat for Humanity, Newark.

Gloria Gama, the new homeowner, moved to the United States from Peru five years ago using her life savings, following her son and daughter. After being homeless for two years, Gama was determined to turn her life around. Within the next three years, with help from Habitat’s education and orientation program, she built her credit and put in the required 400 “sweat equity” hours to help build the house.

“I have waited all of my life for this to happen,” Gama said, “When you’ve worked so hard towards something, it’s nice to see all of your work go towards something amazing.”