Mariela, a single mother of three, spent fourteen years living in a two-bedroom apartment, dreaming of a home where her children could have their own rooms and a backyard where they could play. Her rent continued to climb but her wages barely kept up. Despite her challenges, including storm damage to her apartment that temporarily displaced her family, she never gave up. With careful financial management, she improved her credit and was pre-approved for a mortgage, but still found homeownership out of reach due to high market prices.
Encouraged by her daughter, who learned of Habitat for Humanity’s new project in Croydon from a counselor at school, Mariela applied. Being selected as a Habitat homebuyer turned her long-held dream into a tangible reality. Actively participating in the construction of her future home, she got to meet and build alongside her future neighbors and volunteers.