"When you work full time and raise two children, your paycheque doesn't go very far," said Alisha Bigelow, the program's first applicant who was on hand for Friday's announcement.

The program -- called Tipi Mitawa, Dakota for "my home" -- was the brainchild of Harry DeLeeuw, a local realtor who is active with the MREA. He said the idea is to give families stability, community roots and help them make a smart investment that builds equity.