Family breaks ground on Habitat house in Salem

SALEM, Ohio (WKBN) – The shovels were back in use Friday by Habitat for Humanity. Its next project is underway in Columbiana Count. The project is giving a family a new start in a new location.

The groundbreaking held Friday was for the Calderone family. Athziri, Ruben and Elizaac Calderone welcome the open doors with Habitat. They were searching for an opportunity to leave the south side of Youngstown and found it with a property in Salem and a new Habitat build.

“I want a new environment for my son. I want him to get out of where we’re staying and into a nice neighborhood with a nice community,” Ruben Calderone said.

“Just a brand new home in a new environment. It’s opened doors for my family because we can call it our home,” Athziri Calderone said.

That will come in six to nine months. The Calderones will work 500 hours alongside the builders. It’s not a free home, but their mortgage will be 0% interest. They were the perfect couple for Habitat’s first groundbreaking in years.

“They’re wonderful, and they are so passionate about the program and so excited,” said Dave Redig, executive director of Habitat for Humanity.

Habitat has remodeled homes, but now it’s back in the process of building them. The project is aided with $70,000 in government funds.

“Everything is gonna go into this house, and I’m willing to give my 1,000% for everything in this house,” Calderone said.

The Calderones walk the property now and can already imagine a new beginning in this 3-bedroom home. There will be another celebration on move-in day.

“I might just kiss the ground. I don’t know. It’s mine,” Athziri Calderone said.

Salem’s mayor lives in the neighborhood, so the Calderones have good company.

The house will be built with structurally insulated panels or SIPs, a first for the local Habitat, which will be analyzed step by step to see if it’s the future of home building for the organization

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