For Iris Saucedo, it only took applying online to start her journey toward owning a dream home.
Saucedo, of southwest Oklahoma City, applied for a home in the Cornerstone Creek addition being built by Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity.
Now she is helping build the house.
A group of police officers from Oklahoma City who are part of the national Faith & Blue organization, showed up like angels to help.
She took pictures on her cellphone with family members on a Friday morning workday.
“This is so very exciting. It is the first step to buying a home for me. It is a grand achievement in my life. It is a dream come true. It has always been a dream, and I am so excited to have my dream come true.
Born and raised in Oklahoma City, her family is from Mexico. She will move to Cornerstone Creek with her sister, her daughter, her mother and a disabled sister.
She said she volunteers helping with Habitat for Humanity.
“I have been volunteering and trying to get to know the community to be more involved in Habitat because they helped me achieve a goal in my life, so I like to give outside. I think after my house is done, I still will be a volunteer for other families,” Saucedo said.
She said friends told her about the chance to apply with Habitat for Humanity.
“It came true,” she said.
On Friday, Oct. 11, the walls were framed, and rows of police officers lifted the frames Friday as Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity welcomed the police officer help Friday, Oct. 11, 2024.
Over 45 Oklahoma City Police Department (OKCPD) officers and staff converge on Habitat’s new affordable housing development for a home build at 14600 Bedrock Lane in Cornerstone Creek, located at N.W. 150th Street and N. Morgan Road in Oklahoma City.
Saucedo said, “This is a great blessing and I just hope more blessings come my way and I’m glad all these people took their time and I bless everyone.”
Oklahoma City police Lt. Freddy Hernandez stands in front of the new home in Cornerstone Creek near Piedmont built by Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity. The workday was Friday, Oct. 11, 2024. (Photo by Robert Medley)National Faith & Blue is designed as a solutions-based initiative in cities across the U.S. where police officers and others worship to help build a stronger nation by promoting faith and fellowship, reconciliation and resolution.
Police Lt. Freddy Hernandez talked about the work in Cornerstone Creek Friday.
“We are going to build a house for a family that is the first time for them to have a house. We know that the police department along with our community partners are making a difference in these people’s lives. They are going to have a home. It is going to chance not only their lives but future generations,” Hernandez said.
OKCPD Capt. Michelle Henderson has led Faith & Blue for the local police department for the past three years and said this is the OKCPD’s fifth year of participating.
“We’re super excited to be in Habitat’s new affordable housing neighborhood, Cornerstone Creek, and to see how things are going,” Henderson said. “We’ll join the future homeowner and her family, Iris S., during the home build. Part of our core values at the OKCPD is compassion, and we like to get out into our communities and get involved in helping others in compassionate and positive ways.”
She said the OKCPD brought their DJ to play music and will serve breakfast and lunch during the event. The OKCPD will follow up their home build for Habitat by volunteering for the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma on Saturday and attending services at Powerline Church on Sunday morning in Oklahoma City. They also plan to have a static display of police vehicles and equipment for the general public to view from noon to 2 p.m. at the Powerline Church.
