ATHOL, Mass. — Habitat for Humanity North Central Massachusetts is nearing completion of its very first home project in Athol. 

Habitat for Humanity North Central Massachusetts’ Athol project. Photo by Genevieve DiNatale.

On Friday, Aug. 6, about a dozen volunteers sanded and then began adding additional layers of joint compound to the walls and ceiling of the residence located at 326 Old Keene Road.

The day’s volunteers hailed from Hometown Realtors in Athol, and the healthcare provider Wellpath, which is housed at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution in Shirley.

“I’m working [physically] harder here today than I typically do in my office,” said Michelle Lafountain, the health service administrator for Wellpath. “It’s for a good cause; it has been a lot of fun.”

And they’re not the only volunteers getting in on the action. Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School, or Monty Tech, has also partnered with the organization.

“Monty Tech brings students and teaches them how to do the licensed trades on the job site,” said Carolyn Read, the executive director of Habitat for Humanity North Central Massachusetts. “For this home, they are doing the electric, the plumbing, the HVAC and they have carpentry students coming as well.”

A group of volunteers and an employee for Habitat for Humanity North Central Massachusetts work on the home’s interior. Photo by Genevieve DiNatale.

According to Read, Athol was only provisionally added to Habitat for Humanity North Central Massachusetts’ service area five years ago after the organization received a service call from a resident who needed help fixing her well.

“We just added Athol to our service area,” said Read. “We did some critical repairs in town, but this is the first new home build project, The land was donated to us by some builders who purchased it on spec, and they thought they were going to build a home in Athol but decided not to, so they donated the land to us — which was wonderful.”

Habitat for Humanity broke ground on the Old Keene Road project last fall after reviewing several applications. They eventually selected a family of five from Fitchburg to receive the home.

According to Read, the criterias of partnership are: the family needs to earn 60% or less of the area’s median income; they have to be in a living situation that is inadequate for their family; and they must be willing to be a partner in the process. For a two-parent family, this means that the duo is expected to volunteer 350 hours of their time towards building their future home.  

Kristy Mannion, the director of nursing for Wellpath, applies joint compound to the home’s walls. Photo by Genevieve DiNatale.

Read added that the Fitchburg family has been homeless twice and is presently in an unsafe living situation.

“Right now, they are living in an apartment that is not in a safe area that doesn’t meet their size requirements for their family,” she said. 

In addition, the three-bedroom, two-bathroom home is going to be fitted with solar panels to decrease electricity costs.

“We are hoping most of their electricity will be for free,” said Read.

The home is expected to be complete in October.