WARREN — St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish and Habitat for Humanity of the Mahoning Valley are joining to construct a Warren home.

David Redig, executive director of Habitat for Humanity, said a recent fundraiser was held at the Blessed Sacrament campus to raise money for the planned project.

Redig said a meeting took place last year involving Habitat and the Rev. Christopher Cicero, pastor of St. Teresa of Calcutta, with church members expressing their desire to get involved with Habitat to help build houses for families in Warren.

Redig said Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership helped to acquire property on Burton Street near St. James Parish and the white hall.

Plans for the vacant lot will likely including a single-story house with three bedrooms and two bathrooms.

“We will be breaking ground in the next few months. We will be looking for a family to live there,” Redig said.

“The religious community has been very supportive of what we do. Churches have provided the hands to help build these homes. They have provided support financially and with volunteers. Habitat appreciates all the volunteers who come out and are willing to help build and swing a hammer,” Redig said.

“Volunteers learn a skill while working with us,” Redig said, learning from Habitat for Humanity on how to construct a house.

Cicero said recently a Cabin Fever dinner event was held to raise funds for the house-building project.

He said members of three campuses, Blessed Sacrament, St. Mary and St. James, will participate with the build.

“This is an event that will help unite our parish more. Members of the parish have a desire to do charitable work and be able to add a new neighbor to the church at the house,” Cicero said.

Redig said the house is expected to be completed by late summer or early fall. He said houses take about six to eight months for the total process and construction.

He said next year, there are plans to work with Catholic parishes in Boardman to construct a home there.

In addition, Habitat has partnered with Foxconn to build a home in Lordstown.

Cicero said the parish’s Caritas group helps with community charity efforts. Caritas also helps with serving meals to the community at the white hall and the St. Vincent de Paul dining hall.

Cicero said the church will help with the sponsorship of the house.

Redig mentioned that building a new house costs roughly between $175,000 and $200,000. He stated that Habitat manages the sale of the home and the mortgage.

“We want the person who moves into the home to have success. Fundraisers like this help us cover expenses. We also used American Rescue Plan dollars for projects,” he said.

Beverly Kook, a member of St. James Parish and chairperson of Caritas, said the planned project is a wonderful way for the church members to come together.

“We do different outreach for the community. We have community meals. We do a lot of outreach collections,” Kook said.

“We have never done a Habitat project before. We learned about it from Father Cicero.”

Donations can be made for the project to St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish, with Habitat for Humanity House, Warren in the memo line.