Owning a home is part of the American dream, and that dream came true for the Hayes family of New Orleans, thanks to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) and NOAHH.
The Hayes’ were presented with the keys to their new home during a dedication ceremony on Frenchmen St. New homeowner Shirley Hayes and her two children, daughter Shirley Danielle Cochran, and son, Bill Ray Cochran, Jr., were joined by Realtor® leaders, NOAHH staff, and hundreds of volunteers at the dedication of the home at 1742 Frenchmen Street.
“Homeownership is an investment in our future – it benefits individuals and families and strengthens our communities,” said NAR President Vicki Cox Golder, owner of Vicki L. Cox & Associates in Tucson, Ariz. “I’m so proud to be able to hand the keys to this new home to the Hayes family today, where they’ll make memories, build their futures, and feel comfortable and secure for many, many years to come.”
This is the 10th year that NAR has partnered with Habitat for Humanity to sponsor a home in the city hosting NAR’s annual conference. Realtors® have also contributed to Habitat for Humanity abroad and in the post-Katrina homebuilding effort, including 54 homes along the Gulf Coast – seven of those homes were in the Musicians’ Village, a community for displaced New Orleans families and musicians.
Shirley is a New Orleans native and graduate of the city’s Dillard University. She served in the U.S. Navy after graduation and received an honorable discharge in 1989. She is employed by a local nonprofit and proud to be a first-time homeowner.
“I am the youngest of five siblings, and they all own their own homes. I am blessed, thanks to NAR and Habitat for Humanity, to be able to have my own home now too,” said Shirley.
