His birthday gift------The American Dream

Miami, FL - July 30, 2008

 Many years ago, on July 29, Stephane Accilien was born in a little town in Haiti. In his quest for a better future for his children, Stephane migrated to the United States and dreamt of owning his own home.  Sometime in 2003, he found a job at the Saint James Parish, in the housekeeping department.  Stephane, a single parent lived in an efficiency apartment with his two children.  The space was too small for comfort but he patiently prayed and waited hoping that someday, he can own his own home and provide a more comfortable living condition for his family.  The years went by and in 2007 he heard about NANAY Housing Resource Center and the services it provided.  Stephane stopped by and said he needed help in housing.  After a series of counseling sessions with NANAY’s certified housing counselors, and a Home Buyer Education Class, Stephane was now ready to buy his own home.

On his birthday, July 29, 2008, Stephane closed on his two bedroom condominium Unit at the Venice Park Gardens in North Miami.  “I can not wait to move into my own bedroom” says Stenia, his teenage daughter. The Accilien’s would most likely spend the weekend in the inviting cool waters of the pool in their complex. “Never in my wildest dream did I expect to move into my new home on my birthday”, says Stephane.  His America Dream is finally a reality.

 Mr. Accilien obtained his 1^st Mortgage from Gibraltar Private Bank  and with subsidy assistance from Miami Dade Housing Agency, the City of North Miami, Metro Miami Action Plan (MMAP) and Florida Housing Loan Bank (FHLB). The Accilien’s are now proud homeowners in the City of North Miami.  The closing was handled by Southern Trust and Title Company at the NANAY Housing Resource Center in North Miami.

NANAY Housing Resource Center (NHRC) is non-profit 501(c )(3) affiliate organization established by NANAY Inc.  to develop programs, affordable housing, counseling, education and supportive services that empower, transform and improve the lives of individuals and communities in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties. NHRC currently provides home buyer training, housing counseling, credit pre-qualification and purchase assistance services to low- and moderate income families interested in first-time home ownership, and is partially funded by the North Miami CRA. It is now pursuing a socially- driven Housing Preservation Initiative to prevent foreclosure and address other critical housing needs in North Miami.

NANAY, Inc (National Alliance to Nurture the Aged and the Youth), is a non-profit 501(c)(3) community-based organization that was formed in 1994 to provide supportive services and improve the lives of elders and youth. Free services are offered at the NANAY Community Center in North Miami, including counseling, recreational services, transport, caregiver support, health promotion program, community workshops, education, English and computer classes for elders, as well as intergenerational programs and after-school computer access for the youth. Its current funding comes from the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, Alliance for Aging, Alliance for Human Services, Miami-Dade County OCED, and North Miami CDBG.