Habitat for Humanity of Nodaway County announces 15th partner family

Habitat for Humanity of Nodaway County will partner with Jill Calfee to build its next home this year in Maryville.

Habitat for Humanity of Nodaway County’s Executive Board recently approved her application and surprised Calfee with the news on Friday morning at Parkdale Manor Care Center in Maryville, where she is employed as a certified medical technician and certified nurse assistant.

Calfee is a single mother of two children: Jillian, eight, and Jarren, one, and they reside in a mobile home in Maryville. By meeting Habitat’s employment and financial requirements, Calfee is now afforded the opportunity to purchase the organization’s next home with a zero-interest mortgage.

Calfee and her children are Habitat for Humanity of Nodaway County’s 15th partner family. The organization built its first home in 2004, and the Calfee home will be the organization’s 13th as two of the local Habitat homes have been resold to other partner families. Interestingly, Jill’s brother, Jeremy Calfee, was the beneficiary of Habitat for Humanity of Nodaway County’s first home, which was constructed in Hopkins.

The announcement’s timing was particularly meaningful for Calfee as it aligned with the end of National CNA Week, which celebrates the contributions of certified nursing assistants to the healthcare system. Parkdale Manor also named Calfee its June Employee of the Month.

Habitat for Humanity of Nodaway County Executive Board members presented Calfee with a flower bouquet and balloons during the surprise meeting Friday morning with staff and residents at Parkdale.

“This is a huge opportunity for me and my kids,” Calfee said. “I am so grateful for this amazing program to be able to provide my kids with a house one day they can call home. Thanks to my coworkers who made the day very special and my family who have been by my side. I am so excited for this journey.”

The new home, to be built during the next year at 123 S. Mulberry St., will be approximately 1,340 square feet with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Habitat for Humanity of Nodaway County has partnered since 2020 with the building trades program at the Northwest Technical School in Maryville to construct homes for partner families. Additionally, partner families and volunteers contribute hundreds of “sweat equity” hours in support of Habitat and the construction project while local organizations and businesses provide materials.

Habitat for Humanity of Nodaway County is a non-profit, nondenominational Christian housing ministry that seeks to eliminate poverty housing and invites people from all walks of life to work in partnership to build houses with individuals and families in need. It offers partner families an opportunity to help themselves, to own a decent, affordable home, which they pay for and maintain. The houses are sold to partner families at no profit and with no interest charged. Mortgage payments are placed in a revolving fund and used to finance additional houses.