A Surprise to Call Home 

A Surprise to Call Home 

The following quotes were conveyed through a translator and have been edited for clarity and accuracy. 

Soon, Valentina will lead her two children to the front door of a home they’ve never seen before.

As she unlocks the door, she’ll say,

“Surprise, this is our home.”

Valentina and her two children have been living with her sister for some time, and she is looking forward to having a place of their own.

She knows her children, ages three and four, will be excited about their new home.

“The kids are going to be happy because we will have a bigger yard and a bigger house,” Valentina said. “They have a lot of toys and a lot of stuff.”

Valentina has not yet told them about their future home because she wants it to be a surprise. Once they find out, they can begin exploring every room and deciding who gets which bedroom.

After choosing their rooms, Valentina looks forward to decorating the house and creating spaces her children can truly call their own. She can’t wait to set up her daughter’s dolls and paint the rooms in the colors they choose.

Owning a home has been Valentina’s dream, but for a long time, homeownership felt out of reach. After applying to Milwaukee Habitat’s Affordable Homeownership Program, she realized that dream could become a reality.

“I can only afford Habitat,” Valentina said. “I can afford this now and in the long term.”

Now, she’s building a brand-new home alongside Milwaukee Habitat, a home her family will soon call their own. 

As Valentina imagines opening the front door to their new home for the first time, she reflects on what it means for their family.

“It’s a dream come true,” she said.