The Crooks family will move into their own home. Photo/George Novak
The Crooks family will move into their own home. Photo/George Novak
A family of 10, set to move into a new house thanks to Habitat for Humanity, are already planning to "share the love" and help others into their dream home.
Tauranga couple Josh Crooks, Sai Watson-Crooks and their eight children have spent years crowded into three-bedroom Housing New Zealand homes,dealing with the stress of no space and mouldy rooms.
The couple were sleeping in their lounge when their eldest daughter was diagnosed with cancer three years ago, spurring them to apply for a new home through the not-for-profit organisation.
Mr Crooks said finding out they had been successful was a "blessing" and they were talking about how they could volunteer to help others into a home.
"Finding out was indescribable to be honest, a real blessing," he said. "It is a great feeling to know we will have a home of our own soon. Once the kids grow up we want to go and volunteer with them and help build other couples' homes. We never thought we would be able to own our own home and we would like to give back to others who thought that dream was impossible too. We want to share the love."
The property, which was being built in Welcome Bay by Habitat for Humanity volunteers should be ready by mid-year, Mrs Watson Crooks said.
The scheme allowed the family to pay off the value of the home at a rate of 2 per cent for eight years, after which they would seek a bank loan. In addition to repayments, each family invested hundreds of hours to help build their home.
