“Almost a year ago, we had a groundbreaking here” for five new homes, Jason Tickle told the crowd of about 60 that gathered Saturday, adding that one house is complete and the others are nearly ready. “This does make a difference, and helps build a community.”

Tickle, the head of the Caroline County Habitat for Humanity, was talking about five houses built in the Milford neighborhood through its sweat equity-style program, which received a boost through a $2.3 million U.S. Department of Agriculture grant he said hasn’t been used in Virginia in 20 years.

The grant will help Habitat build five more houses in the county.

The grant money was crucial, but those who spoke at Saturday’s event emphasized the community effort—the work by the families, their friends and volunteers along with help by businesses, churches and other groups, including Caroline High School students who built the walls for the homes.

The five families also joined speakers in thanking everyone involved.

One of the new homeowners, Tameka Moore, showed up wearing a pink hard hat.

The 39-year-old, who works at a pediatric center, grew up in the county, but has never owned a home. She and her 17-year-old son will be moving into one of the new three-bedroom ramblers.

Before now, she has always rented, and recently stayed with her parents in order to save money for the new home.

Like others in the program, she also was working on her house and the others. Since November, she has spent pretty much every Wednesday through Sunday at the homes.

“It means a lot. It’s like I’m starting over,” she said, adding that it feels good to be able to buy a house, which is something her son will inherit.

Moore’s situation encapsulates the key tenet of the Habitat for Humanity program.

Tickle said Habitat’s program helps families who ordinarily can’t afford to buy a home, and is something that can change their lives in many ways.

Owning an affordable home, he said, can help people not only establish themselves, but it also can set up younger generations who otherwise wouldn’t inherit property.

“They can set down roots,” Tickle said.

He noted that the families will each have $50,000 in equity upon moving into their homes, and the loans have low, 1 percent interest rates.

“It’s a game-changer,” Tickle said of the program. “It’s one of the best ways to build rural houses and nobody knows about it.”

He said Caroline’s Habitat for Humanity will soon start work on the next five houses as part of the USDA grant. Those will be built in other areas of the county.

In previous years, Tickle said Habitat built about one house a year, but the plan now is to build 10 to 12 annually through the program.

But it’s not so easy to get it done, he said, pointing out that it’s difficult to find land and people who qualify.

Participants must qualify to afford the loan payments, but they also have to put in 24 to 30 hours a week working on the homes. Participants are allowed to have volunteers handle some of the work for them. Several of the families thanked those volunteers Saturday.

After the celebration, Sandra Patricia stood enjoying the moment on the front porch of the new home where the crowd had gathered.

Patricia, who runs a small house-cleaning business, initially doubted she could make it through the program. She nodded to Habitat employee McWayne “Mac” Williams, saying he inspired her to do it.

She said the work was “a really hard experience,” but worth the effort.

Her sister and two adult daughters helped work on the house, she added. And now she and her daughters are close to finally moving into the new home.

“I’ve lived in the county 27 years and I always wanted a house,” she said.

Tickle said Habitat will focus on helping teachers and first responders for its next round of houses, adding that they are looking for qualified applicants along with land where the new homes can be built.