XTO builds Habitat for Humanity home in downtown Fort Worth

"Each year, employees volunteer more than 1,000 hours to build a Trinity Habitat home," said Glenn Scott, vice president of International Ventures and a Trinity Habitat board member. "XTO employees are passionate about giving back to the community, and the opportunity to build a house with our colleagues, while working alongside the homeowner, is a rewarding experience."

The home owners, Lar Seng La Lasham and Maran Roi, came to the United States in 2010 as political refugees, after suffering religious persecution in Myanmar (formerly Burma). The couple has a four-year-old son and two-year-old daughter.

"Owning a home will make my family life calmer and happy, as our current housing situation is not safe and has been difficult," said Lasham, who works as chef at a local sushi restaurant.

Trinity Habitat homeowners, like the Lasham/Roi family, receive interest-free home loans. In exchange, they are required to contribute "sweat equity" during the construction of their home.

XTO volunteers completed the framing, roofing, siding, windows, door installation and exterior paint on the home. The home was moved on April 11 to its permanent location in Fort Worth's Hillside/Morningside neighborhood for completion.

"Trinity Habitat is thrilled to continue our tradition of building a Habitat home with XTO employees in the award winning Sundance Square," said Gage Yager, executive director, Trinity Habitat for Humanity. "This build is more than a special event; it's a life-changing course for the Lasham/Roi family. We would not be able to continue our work without amazing Habitat friends and partners, such as XTO Energy and Sundance Square."

In addition to the headquarters' build, 17 employees from the Fort Worth Division volunteered for Trinity Habitat on April 1 to complete the siding on a home in the Hillside/Morningside neighborhood.