Press Releases

American Dream Comes True for Habitat Family

Friday, June 9, 2006

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As 10-year-old Monica Bernardino and her sister 18-year-old sister Bernadette traipsed from room to room, admiring their newly completed three-bedroom Daly City home, their mother, Teresita, was overwhelmed with tears.

Then Tess, as she is known to friends and family, hugged her older children and her husband Nestor, and exclaimed, “It’s a dream come true! Never did we think this would happen.”

Up until Saturday, June 3, Nestor, Tess and their four children – Honey, Nicco, Bernadette and Monica, lived for the past six years in an old, Victorian-style house on a quiet residential street in Daly City. It looked like every other house on the block, except there were six families living inside the home originally designed for only a single family. The Bernardinos occupied the first floor, while extended family members lived on the floors above and below them. All the occupants shared just one bathroom, kitchen and laundry facilities.

On Saturday, the Bernardino family was welcomed into their new home by Peninsula Habitat for Humanity and Daly City officials. Their dream of homeownership finally came true through donations from several organizations, help in building the home from community and corporate volunteers, including more than 500 hours of sweat equity contributed by family members - from putting on the roof, the drywall, and hammering on the studs, to painting the home in De Long Street, Daly City. They were one of four families presented a new home under Habitat’s MAKE it REAL program.

Before venturing to the U.S. in 1987, Nestor was a tricycle driver in Muntinlupa, a suburb of Manila. The tricycle is three-wheeled vehicle propelled by motorcycle and a popular and cheap mode of public transportation in the Philippines. In 1992, Tess followed Nestor to this country with Honey, Nicco and Bernadette, who were at that time ages 9, 8 and 5, respectively. Their youngest daughter, Monica, was born in the U.S.

It was difficult for the family, living in cramped quarters for many years, but they said they were grateful their relatives opened their home to them so they could begin new lives in this country. Nestor now works at the San Francisco International Airport, as a cabin cleaner for Swissport Company. Tess works as a cashier at a nearby gas station.

The family said their journey to homeownership began three years ago, with a television advertisement. “I just turned the channel and saw the Peninsula Habitat for Humanity homes available for low income families. My relatives didn’t believe the advertisement,” Tess explained. She attended the information meeting anyway and signed up for the program.

“We never thought it would happen,” Nestor said, beaming. “I still can’t believe it!”
“As former first lady Hilary Clinton has said, ‘It takes a village to raise a child.’ It takes a village to help people,” said Denise Aquila. “We are happy to be able to put money in a home for families like the Bernardinos, who work hard to achieve the American Dream.”

Aquila, a resident of Half Moon Bay, is the chairperson of the San Mateo County Association of Realtors® (SAMCAR) Foundation. SAMCAR, along with other Bay Area real estate professionals, in partnership with Peninsula Habitat for Humanity, launched the MAKE it REAL Campaign in February 2004. Through this campaign they are helping build affordable ownership houses in which workforce families can live, grow and build their futures. Saturday’s dedication ceremony celebrated the completion of four homes on De Long Street across from the Bay Area Rapid Transit station that are part of the program.

“It’s our goal as Realtors to help families like the Bernardinos achieve the American Dream. Realtors are always helping to make sure people have homes. It’s been a pleasure to raise money and give back to the community in this special way,” said Aquila, as she handed over the keys of the house to Nestor Bernardino.

SAMCAR is a professional trade organization representing realtors and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business and serving clients in nearly all of San Mateo County. Community service activities are organized through the San Mateo County Realtors Foundation. The Foundation was formed to allow the Association to help needy individuals and non-profit organizations based in the cities served by SAMCAR. Donations are made to local schools and educational foundations, scholarship awards, programs assisting the homeless with shelter and food, domestic violence prevention, home renovations for those in need, and to programs serving the youth of our communities.

SAMCAR contributed $25,000 towards the Bernardino family’s new home at 539 DeLong Street in Daly City. Other sponsors of the home included Lockheed Martin, Coldwell Banker, Sobrato Foundation, Union Bank, Home Depot, World Savings and CIG Realty & Loans.

“In the last three years, SAMCAR has donated $57,500 to help Peninsula Habitat for Humanity build 11 north county homes as part of the MAKE it REAL program. The four De Long Street homes bring us to six completed MAKE it REAL homes out of 22, with three more started this year from the real estate industry initiative. I am very impressed,” said June La Barre, corporate relationship manager for Peninsula Habitat for Humanity.

Speaking on behalf of her family, eldest daughter Honey Bernardino, now 22, brushed away her tears and stated, “I am so happy we are finally going to have our own house. I want to thank my mom and dad, who have worked so hard. … Now we can invite our friends and family over to our house. I’d like to thank Peninsula Habitat for Humanity and all the sponsors for giving us this opportunity. Now we have our own home, where we can feel secure, our own space for privacy. It will be great just to sit down and have dinner all together with just my family. It’s been a long time since that has happened.”

Since 1989, Peninsula Habitat for Humanity has partnered with 82 families having low incomes to make homeownership a reality in the following cities throughout San Mateo County.

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The San Mateo County Association of REALTORS® (SAMCAR) is a professional trade organization representing over 3,800 REALTORS® and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula. SAMCAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in San Mateo County.

The term "REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and who subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.

For further information, please contact Julie Ziemelis, Director of Public Affairs, e-mail , or phone (650) 696-8214.

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