The Huntington, W.Va., Habitat for Humanity builds houses, but the organization that will now have a much larger presence in Lawrence County also builds homes.

And there is certainly a difference and it is not just the focus on the physical structure and a roof over someone’s head.

The nonprofit organization does everything it can to help bring families together and empower them to create the family atmosphere that many would struggle to do otherwise.

The Christian-based house-building agency hosted an informational session last week to find prospective homeowners and will build its first Lawrence County home in about a year after the agency purchased the tax lien of abandoned property in Rome Township as the site of one of its first houses. Habitat bought the lien for $1.

This is a tremendous step for Lawrence County and our entire region.

This journey began in August when Habitat officials announced plans to expand the once-exclusively Cabell County agency into Ohio. The agency has built 78 houses there.

The American dream of owning a home is still achievable but there is nothing wrong with offering a helping hand to make that come true.