Mike Smollins

•

Oct 1, 2026, 5:14 PM

•

Updated

More Stories

00:38

Jersey City to add new safety measures at 17 high-crash intersections

00:14

Amazon hiring more than 1,200 seasonal workers in Greater Trenton area for holidays

00:18

Man accused of swinging hammer at ICE officers during South Jersey traffic stop

01:56

North Bergen officials condemn reported ICE activity near school

01:58

E-bike advocacy group and several lawmakers want to amend rules and regulations three months after they took effect

Hofstra says it had no duty to provide aid to bar exam candidate during cardiac arrest, filing shows

A U.S. Army veteran and mother of three now has a new title - homeowner.

Habitat for Humanity built a new home in Wyandanch for Shinita Gray-Virgil and her family and dedicated it to them on Thursday.

"It means a lot," Gray-Virgil said. "Its a full-circle moment actually. I grew up with a lot of my aunts and uncles who had homes in the town, so we're familiar and it's like we never left. We do belong, truly"

The family had previously lived in hotels and several apartments after being forced to move from their previous home when the property owner died.

The home was constructed through Habitat for Humanity's Long Island Veteran Build Program. Gray-Virgil, a paralegal for the Town of Islip, said she was thrilled to be able to stay on Long Island.

"I've seen so many families' legacies move out of state because of affordability," she said. "I'm probably the last of my family to remain in New York, on Long Island specifically, and this is just a legacy for myself and my children."