Thirteen families have a new home in southeast Edmonton thanks to a former United States president’s charity.

Just over a year after Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn came to the Edmonton area to begin work on 75 homes, 13 families are moving into Carter Place in the Laurel neighbourhood.

This Christmas will be extra special for Darlene and her sons, who will move to the new home after living in a small apartment for nearly seven years.

“I think it’s amazing, and I want it now,” she said. “In 2002 I read a company newsletter about a single mom getting her new Habitat for Humanity home, and I thought that’s for us.”

The 13 families volunteered 500 hours to build their homes.

A total of 58 homes will be built in the new neighbourhood.

The City of Edmonton donated the land, and the province added approximately $4 million.

With files from Sarah Plowman