Good News Tues. – June 23rd

We’re back with another edition of Good News Tues to spread a little joy from our Habitat family to yours. We’re all in this together. Here’s hoping this brings a little light to your day. 

A Home For Dakodah
On a blustery winter day this February, Dakodah was nestled in her mother’s arms as Teanna took the first steps through the warm threshold of their newly completed Habitat home. Dakodah’s eyes were wide with wonder and anticipation as a group of Teanna’s family, along with Habitat staff, volunteers and supporters, gathered around them in their living room. You got the feeling that Dakodah could sense something important was happening. These walls around her, the walls her mother helped build, will provide safety, stability and independence for their family for years come. Whether she knew it or not, this day would forever be known as the start of a new chapter in Dakodah’s life.

Teanna realized the importance of a stable home early on in life. As a child, Teanna said that her mom and she moved around a lot.

“It’s stressful moving,” she said. “I don’t want my baby daughter to have to go through that over and over again.

Teanna wanted Dakodah to feel comfortable in her neighborhood, the schools she attends, and the people around her. She knew that providing a safe, stable home would give Dakodah one the most important tools necessary for a healthy childhood.

In fact, a survey of all Milwaukee Habitat homeowners found 87% of their children 18 and older had graduated from high school. That’s nearly 30% higher than the average graduation rate for Milwaukee Public Schools.

Along with the stability of knowing her daughter will have a safe and steady place to call home, Teanna also achieved increased financial stability. She says Habitat’s affordable mortgage for her brand new three bedroom home is roughly $100 less per month than what she’d been paying to rent her previous two bedroom apartment.

“This means I’ll be able to save more money and not worry so much,” says Teanna

As the home dedication ceremony came to a close, the room burst into a congratulatory round of applause for Teanna. Then all of a sudden, with bright eyes looking up at the folks who helped Teanna on her journey to homeownership, Dakodah began clapping along. As her little hands smushed together with such joy, she seemingly foreshadowed a childhood full of love, safety and stability within the walls of their Habitat home.