PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — After 29 years of living in her old apartment, Maribel Dominguez is officially a homeowner with some help from Habitat for Humanity.

Dominguez will live in the four-bedroom home with her two daughters and her mom. As part of the program, Dominguez worked for 350 hours to help finish not only her home, but others as well.

“It makes you excited to think that you’re going to build your own home and help others to get theirs,” she told NewsNatoin affiliate WPRI. “That’s like a dream come true.”

Habitat for Humanity helps provide low-income and medium-income households with the opportunity to own an affordable home.

The project was completed with funding from Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island and the city of Providence. Applicants with the alternative housing program must meet a list of requirements to be accepted.

“We scale through hundreds of thousands of applications, and then we have a committee that’s made up of our board members who look through these shortlisted applications,” explained Dr. Patricia Jackson, the executive director for the Habitat for Humanity of Greater Providence and the East Bay.

Jackson said the number of applications since the pandemic has skyrocketed as more people are looking at homeownership instead of renting.

While Jackson said the work can be “long and arduous,” she thinks it’s worth it.

“Being able to experience that with [Dominguez] and give her hugs, it’s satisfying,” she said.

You can apply for a home with Habitat for Humanity by clicking here.