The First Nail Is Struck: Work Begins on New Duke Health Habitat House

There’s only one wall raised so far, but the sight of that one wall and of her Duke Health co-workers helping construct it sent Krystal Weston into excitement.

“Wow! the first wall is already up? That’s amazing,” Weston said Thursday, on the first day of work on the new Duke Health-sponsored Durham Habitat for Humanity house that soon will be home to Weston and her family. Weston is a clinical tech at Duke Raleigh Hospital.

“I feel so honored to experience this beautiful opportunity. Thank you to Habitat for Humanity and Duke Health for creating a new space for not only me but for my son Noah as well.”

At a ceremony Thursday marking the beginning of the work, Katie Galbraith, president of Duke Regional Hospital and interim president of community health for Duke Health, told the more than 20 Duke workers and other volunteers that it was a special day.

“We are really proud of our longstanding partnership with Habitat for Humanity,” Galbraith said. “Access to affordable housing is the top priority identified by our community through the Community Health Needs Assessment. Being part of a Habitat build is always exciting, and today was even more special because we were kicking off the build for one of our own Duke Health family members.”

Duke University and Duke Health have had a long relationship with Durham Habitat over the years, with more than 20 homes being sponsored by Duke-affiliated entities.

The house is on North Plum Street in Durham. The house is one of 21 that Habitat is building in the neighborhood to help strengthen Plum Street and Morning Glory Avenue as a community and to address the critical need for affordable housing in the region.

If you would like to volunteer please contact Darla.Wohlfarth@duke.edu