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Ten Great Falls families are reaping the rewards of nearly a year's worth of hard work.

In a celebration on Tuesday morning, they all received American flags as part of the NeighborWorks Mutual Self Help program.

The families all worked together to build their houses, putting in at least 30 hours a week in addition to their regular jobs. All that sweat equity makes them even more proud to become homeowners and working together throughout the year has fostered a real sense of community.

Richie Kapphan, one of the new homeowners, said, "Coming into a community like this, you have the ten families and then you build for that year, so when it's all said and done and by the time that you move into your home, you know exactly who your neighbors are. You know exactly who your kids are going to be around, you get to know their kids through the year, so it's real tight-knit."

The program is aimed at families who might not be able to become homeowners through traditional lending.

To learn more, visit the NeighborWorks Great Falls website.