With the help of Habitat for Humanity and sponsorship funding from Clopay Corporation, single mother Bridget Lawson rang in the New Year with her four children as a first-time homeowner in Sidney, Ohio.

Lawson is a long-time Sidney resident employed at Shelby County Job and Family Services. She has never been a homeowner and her family has lived in rental properties that eventually sold after a few years, forcing them to relocate. She applied to become a Habitat homeowner in 2019 but wasn’t selected. Committed to the dream of giving her family a forever home, she was accepted into the program in 2022 when she tried again. 

The first wall goes up.


Roofing.


Landscaping.

A dedication ceremony was held on November 30 to hand her the keys. During the event, Lawson shared that her family was most excited about their first Christmas at home and being able to play and have cookouts in the backyard.

The Lawson family gets the keys to their new home.

To become a Habitat for Humanity homeowner, Lawson and her family contributed sweat equity hours working alongside community volunteers to build their home. She was also required to complete education classes about budgeting, home maintenance, and landscaping. 

Clopay provided $130,000 in funding and donated Clopay entry and garage door to the build. Lawson chose a black Canyon Ridge 4-Layer carriage house garage door and a black Craftsman entry door manufactured at the company’s Troy and Russia, Ohio plants. Along with Clopay, there were 31 other organizations who supported the project.

Teamwork makes the dream work.

“At Clopay we’re committed to making a difference in the lives of our employees, and making a difference in our community as well. Partnering with Habitat for Humanity has given us an opportunity to do just that,” Clopay president Victor Weldon said.