A Mercedes woman celebrated her birthday with a new home.

Antonia Vigil Martinez said she could never afford to make improvements to her home.

“My home was too old, we hadn't fixed it from the inside because we worked too much,” Martinez explained.

Martinez’s old home in the Heidelberg colonia in Mercedes fell apart over the years. Everything changed for her when she opened her mailbox a couple of months ago and found a letter from the San Juan based non-profit Proyecto Azteca.

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The letter informed Martinez of the organization’s self-help colonia program.

“Our grant was $225,000, and that includes the construction of three homes,” Proyecto Azteca Assistant Director Amber Salinas. 

That money was used to build Martinez’s home, and another home free of charge.

Salinas says they are still looking for another family to build a house for.

The Texas Department of Housing And Community Affairs awarded Proyecto Azteca the funds. To qualify for the program, families need to live in one of the following colonias in Hidalgo County Precinct 1:

 -Cuellar #2
- River Road
- Capisallo 
- Heidelberg
- Balli Estates

Martinez said she hopes others will take advantage of the help.

“They should be excited to apply, the house is beautiful,” Martinez said. 

For information on how to apply to the program, contact Proyecto Azteca on their website. 

Watch the video above for the full story.