It seems that 37-year-old Jennifer was supposed to eventually become a Habitat for Humanity homeowner. She had volunteered at her friend’s Habitat for Humanity Macomb County home build and realized that as a divorced mother of two children, she just might qualify for homeownership! She decided to apply and began praying about the possibility.
At the time of application, she was living in a two-bedroom, 800-square foot home where she slept in the living room while her 15-year-old daughter and 9-year-old, special needs and wheelchair-bound son occupied the bedrooms. The house was extremely difficult for her son to maneuver through and the stress of the high rent was simply taxing on many levels. “I just stayed strong for my kids,” she explains.
Jennifer began the Habitat Oakland County process in July 2015 and has now been accepted into the Habitat Oakland County program through the Women Build initiative. She immediately began putting in sweat equity hours and was proud to be involved in some installation in her new kitchen and learning new skills! “It was a great feeling to know that I installed my own kitchen sink,” she says. “The process of homeownership wasn’t fast. It’s definitely hard work, but it is amazing hard work!”
Her new, 1,200 square foot Southfield home with a spacious yard is ADA-compliant for her son and is bringing the entire family peace of mind. The mortgage is more affordable than her monthly rent.
“I just love my new neighborhood and our neighbors,” explains Jennifer. “This is the perfect place to raise my children and the Women Build donors and volunteers have been an absolute blessing right from the beginning.”
She wants to encourage others who need the help not to give up and to at least consider the application process. She looks forward to giving back to Habitat Oakland County and will continue to help future home owners make their dreams come true with a bit of hard work!
