Building Homes and Community

Persephone’s block

Building Homes and Community

Here at Milwaukee Habitat, we are proud to be a community. We are a community of homeowners, volunteers, staff, supporters, neighborhoods, friends, and family. We work together for one common goal: affordable homeownership.

This shared goal brings many people together and creates unique and impactful relationships.

A recent example of this is Persephone and James. 

Persephone is a Milwaukee Habitat homeowner who moved into her home in December 2023. James is Milwaukee Habitat’s Warehouse Coordinator who formerly worked full-time on the build site.

Milwaukee Habitat homeowners participate in sweat equity where they spend many hours building their homes and the homes of their future neighbors. During that process, future homeowners spend time working with construction staff. The first time Persephone worked on a Habitat build site, she worked with James. 

James admired Persephone’s attitude and strength, and Persephone is thankful for his contribution in changing her life by helping her become a first-time homeowner.

James leading volunteers

Our Habitat community recently gathered for a virtual home dedication to celebrate with Persephone. During home dedications, a staff member is given the chance to share stories and remarks about the homeowner. James was chosen to speak about Persephone, and he shared the following: 

I’m proud of you.

The first time you worked with Habitat was with me. From the moment I met you, I thought you were a complete blessing. I am proud to work alongside someone like you. 

It is always a pleasure to be with you. You have a great attitude and are fun to be around. Being around people like you is a breath of fresh air. I hope that attitude can stay with you. 

When times get hard, I hope you realize how strong of a person you are. You bless people on a daily basis. That’s how I felt when I was with you.

Every time we worked together after that, it was always a pleasure.

Persephone

Persephone was given a chance to talk about her homeownership journey and thanked James for his patience when she was learning certain skills out on site. She also shared the following: 

I am overjoyed with happiness. It’s a dream to own my own home.

[In the past], I tried and tried with no success. Now, I’m happy. I have tears of joy. 

Many understand how different it is to own a home with the market being the way it is. 

I am thankful I was accepted into the Habitat program.

I’m thankful I’m in this program. It changed my life tremendously.

To sponsors, you are amazing. You are changing lives. I am thankful to staff, office, construction, ReStore and anyone else that has a part in accomplishing this goal.

Congratulations to Persephone on becoming a first-time homebuyer!