Achieving The Dream

Achieving The Dream

Sixteen years ago, Allison Trice built a brand new Habitat home in Milwaukee’s Midtown neighborhood. Becoming a first-time homebuyer is a significant milestone in anyone’s life. In Allison’s, it was the foundation to achieve her personal and professional dreams.

Allison has raised two children in that house, she’s a Milwaukee Public School district employee, and for the last several years has been working hard to establish a business with her partner, Kevin.

“[Habitat] gives you the tools so you can help yourself,” Allison said. “Then you’re able to do the other things you dreamed to do.”

Through Habitat’s financial education courses, Allison learned how to be mindful of credit and saving money.
The financial knowledge gained from our program and our affordable mortgage payments have helped Allison pursue the dream of owning a business with Kevin.

Allison and Kevin’s love for barbeque inspired the idea. Even while she was raising two kids and working at Milwaukee Public Schools, Allison worked toward that dream. The dream evolved into “Junior’s Smoked BBQ.” In the early days, they spent years bringing Junior’s Smoked BBQ to local farmers markets. As their following grew, the two had their sights set on opening a brick and mortar location. Late last year, that dream came true.

On December 23, 2021, Allison and Kevin opened Junior’s Smoked BBQ in Sherman Phoenix – a popular new entrepreneurial hub and marketplace in Milwaukee’s Sherman Park neighborhood. Now, Junior’s Smoked BBQ has a storefront, travels to farmers markets around the Milwaukee area, caters events, and has grown to a popular barbeque destination in the city.

Allison continued to work for her dreams when they added Junior’s Veggie Soul to the business – providing vegan options, such as barbeque jackfruit.

While their business continues to grow and succeed, Allison knows that Habitat homeownership helped her accomplish these goals.

“Homeownership is part of a necessity,” Allison said. “But doing it through Habitat made it feel like not so much a necessity, but a culmination of achieving the dream.”

Not only did Habitat homeownership open up opportunities for Allison to pursue her goals, it also influenced her children’s lives.

Allison is a mother of two boys and has raised them in her Habitat home. They have grown up with the stability and safety that comes with affordable homeownership.

“Habitat does change lives,” Allison said. “And it doesn’t just change the life of the homeowner; it changes the lives of the kids.”

Milwaukee Habitat provided the tools Allison needed to build a foundation for the future.

“One thing I can say about Habitat is you’re helping people to help themselves,” Allison said. “Which is bigger than anything they could ever do.”

Sixteen years ago, Allison moved into her Habitat home. Today, she is making her dreams a reality.