A ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony are on the horizon at Boys and Girls Country for an 8,100-square-foot cottage that will soon house eight boys from families in crisis.

Partners, Lennar/Village Builders and HomeAid Houston, a 501(c)(3) charity of the Greater Houston Builders Association (GHBA), are nearing completion on the construction of the Hamill Cottage. Lennar/Village Builders' Marco Cordon, director of construction is leading the project.

The Hamill Cottage is the second cottage being built by HomeAid Houston for the Boys and Girls Country campus. Funding for its construction was provided to Boys and Girls Country by the Hamill Foundation.

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The cottage will provide each boy with their own room for the first time and a warm, safe and nurturing environment. The boys will also be joined by their teaching parents as they work together to build stability and plan for a bright future. The cottage includes a full modern kitchen, a separate area for the teaching parents, a study room and a large family room.

The cottage sits among the large oak trees on the Boys and Girls campus that is located in Hockley.

"The construction process has included recruiting vendors and trades to donate as much as possible to complete the home," said Bill Dalton, president of HomeAid Houston. "Working with Lennar/Village Builders and the Boys and Girls Country staff and volunteers has been one of the most rewarding experiences HomeAid has had as we begin our 15th year serving our community."

Boys and Girls Country was established in 1971. Their mission is to change the lives of children from families in crisis by loving and nurturing them in a Christian home environment, raising them to become self-sustaining and contributing adults. Children are from the greater Houston area, which includes 13 counties. The agency has the capacity to work with 88 children at any one time.

"The Lennar/Village Builders team has been fortunate enough to get to know the wonderful boys who will be living in this cottage," said Cindy Hinson, director of community affairs for Lennar/Village Builders. "These boys have displayed a strong work ethic, positive attitude and gratitude that have had a lasting impact on all of us."

HomeAid was started in 2003, and the first shelter was dedicated in 2005. Since then, 46 projects have been completed, adding more than 437 beds and $12,600,000 in real estate construction and improvements to Houston's homeless community.

Annually, HomeAid's projects serve more than 5,000 homeless men, women, children and veterans in Houston.

For additional information about HomeAid Houston, visit www.homeaidhouston.org or call 281-970-8970.