Widowed Father and Daughter to Celebrate New Chapter of their Lives During Habitat’s New Home Dedication Tomorrow at Cornerstone Creek

OKLAHOMA CITY — Widowed father, Antwon C., expressed in his application for the Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity’s New Home Construction program that his beautiful daughter, Celeste, “gives my life meaning and purpose.” The maintenance supervisor later said this is especially true today since Celeste’s mother and Antwon’s beloved wife, Madison, passed away unexpectedly in 2023.

Antwon and his nearly 5-year-old daughter will open a new chapter in their lives by celebrating the dedication of their new Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity house at 2 p.m. tomorrow, June 12, 2025, in Cornerstone Creek, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

“It’s unbelievable – I can hardly believe it is happening to me,” Antwon said. “Besides having my daughter, I’ve never caught a break like this, and it almost seems unreal. My daughter is super excited!”

Although happier times lie ahead, Antwon said losing his wife was devastating and caused him to move from Del City, Oklahoma, to Midwest City, Oklahoma, to try to make new memories. “I told my daughter, it’s super hard, but we have to move on, Baby, and look to the future,” he said.

However, they found it very difficult to find an affordable home, and the place they moved to wasn’t ideal because it only had a shower. So, Antwon said he blows up an inflatable bathtub for his little girl each night so she can take a bath. He said his new house is a dream come true because it is a secure new home and a legacy he can leave for Celeste and her future family.

 “With the assistance of this program, I finally feel that achieving this goal is within reach,” he said. “I think of myself as a person you can call on in times of need and now I feel like I’m being rewarded with this blessing.”

Like all Habitat homeowners, Antwon fulfilled his 100 sweat-equity hours by volunteering to build his own and others’ houses, taking homeownership classes and was able to buy his home for cost without a down payment. Antwon’s new home will be the 1,129th house built by COHFH, a Christian housing ministry since its establishment in 1990.

Ann Felton Gilliland, the Chair/CEO of COHFH, said that this house will be the first of 25 single-family affordable homes constructed using $3.6 million from the Oklahoma Housing Stability Program’s Homebuilder Program. “The Homebuilder Program’s 0% interest loans have improved our cash flow for construction at Cornerstone Creek,” Felton Gilliland said. “These loans are essential for us to maintain our ambitious building schedule at our new and largest development to date.”

She said that COHFH has already constructed approximately 30 of the 91 homes planned for Phase I of the Cornerstone Creek project, but that additional funding is needed as the project progresses.

“We must raise the $3.7 million needed to fully fund and implement Phase II, which involves constructing the necessary infrastructure for an additional 210 homes,” Felton Gilliland said. “We are encouraging donors to help us fulfill the vision of Cornerstone Creek by giving generously. Every contribution, no matter how small, makes a difference!”

When complete, Cornerstone Creek will have 450 new homes, three parks with workout stations and a gazebo. Residents of Cornerstone Creek can also send their children to Piedmont, Oklahoma’s excellent schools.

For more information about COHFH, visit www.cohfh.org or call 405-232-4828. To volunteer, please sign up at www.helpmyhabitat.com. Companies, organizations or individuals interested in sponsoring a home build or donating to Habitat can visit www.cohfh.org/make-a-donation/.