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Thursday, September 25, 2003

Dreams Become Reality in Arkansas for Four Individuals with Developmental Disabilities

With help from HUD, four developmentally disabled Caddo Valley residents - Carey Rogers, Jimmy Norris, Kenny Passalaqua and Susan Tobin - have seen their dreams become a reality as they were recently given the keys to their new homes.

Arkansas Lt. Governor Win Rockefeller presents a door key to Susan Tobin.

Homeowner Jimmy Norris with a Fannie Mae official.

At a ceremony for the four, their faces reflected delight and excitement at achieving the American dream of homeownership.

Their homes, located on a cul-de-sac in Caddo Valley, some 30 miles south of Hot Springs, were constructed through a partnership involving Arkadelphia Human Development Center; a HUD-approved counseling agency; funds from the Department's HOME program; and USDA's Rural Development Self-Help Housing program. The Housing Choice Voucher program will be used to help with monthly homeowner expenses.

The new homeowners are part of AHDC's Project Empowerment program, and their homes are located within a mile of AHDC, whose mission is "…to enable the people we serve to continuously advance the quality and independence of their lives."

Each of the four will be supervised 24 hours a day by a Medicaid specialist, and each will work at the Center daily.

The four new homeowners with the people who helped turned dreams into reality.