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A Habitat for Humanity homeowner family recently celebrated their final payment with a ceremonial mortgage burning.

The Knight family of Bogalusa has made their final mortgage payment on their Habitat for Humanity home, and celebrated the burning of their mortgage on Saturday, Dec. 4.

“This is such a huge accomplishment for the Knight family,” said Tena Jones with Washington Habitat for Humanity. The Knight family took it a step further, and they even paid off their mortgage early. We couldn’t be happier for them.

“At Habitat for Humanity, we know that with just a little help, Habitat homeowners can achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build a better life for themselves and their families.”

Jones said that the Knight family is the perfect example of what hard work can achieve.

“Washington Habitat for Humanity would like to thank the Knight family for allowing us to be a part of their American dream of homeownership,” Jones said.

Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit housing organization working in local communities across all 50 states and in more than 70 countries around the world. Habitat’s vision is of a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Habitat works toward this vision by building and improving homes in partnership with individuals and families in need of a decent and affordable place to live.

Families and individuals in need of decent, affordable housing apply for homeownership with their local Habitat for Humanity.

Each local Habitat’s family selection committee selects homeowners based on three criteria:

• The applicant’s level of need.
• Their willingness to partner with Habitat.
• Their ability to repay a mortgage through an affordable payment plan.

As part of their willingness to partner, Habitat’s homebuyers invest hundreds of hours of their own labor, called “sweat equity,” working alongside volunteers and other Habitat homeowners.

Habitat for Humanity follows a nondiscriminatory policy of family selection. Neither race nor religion is a factor in choosing Habitat’s homeowners.