John Tufuga and his wife, Allison, were living in conditions that were unsafe and posed health risks. The condition of the home's flooring created severe allergic reactions and health complications for Allison. Furthermore, the home had no accommodations for John, who has a hearing impairment. Because of their rental unit's flooring and settling problems, lack of basement for quick shelter, lack of alarm equipment conducive to John's disability, and a layout that made communicating from separate rooms impossible, the family sought assistance from Heartland Habitat for Humanity.

John and Allison will soon be the proud new owners of a Heartland Habitat home at 3603 NE 82nd Terrace in North Kansas City. This home was sponsored by the North Kansas City School District, Citi and Gashland Presbyterian Church. Students from the trades department of North Kansas City School District provided much of the labor on the home, and in the process learned construction and other marketable skills.

"Our work extends beyond just helping families overcome obstacles to homeownership," said Tom Lally, Executive Director. "It's also about mobilizing the community to help improve the quality of life and standard of living for individuals and families in need."

Heartland Habitat's partnership with the North Kansas City School District drew recognition from the Northland Education and Business Alliance (NEBA), an organization that seeks to strengthen education and build a quality workforce in the greater Northland community. Because of its partnership with the District to provide students unique educational opportunities, Heartland Habitat was awarded the 2010 Star Partner Award of Merit.

"It was a great honor to be nominated," said Lally. "Our work with the North Kansas City School District is a model for service learning."