Success Stories

Thanks to your support, these families were able to build safe, affordable homes they can truly call their own.

Breanna sees home ownership as an opportunity to give her two-year-old son, Breontay, a place he can always call home.

“Having this home means he’ll always have a room, always have something to come home to,” says Breanna.

Where they were staying, Breontay had no place to play outside. Thanks to your support, Breontay now has his own backyard! Plus, Breanna’s affordable mortgage costs LESS than what she had been paying in rent, money she’ll now be able to save for Breontay’s future.

See more photos of their house dedication

Somalia’s modern history is a tale of independence, prosperity and democracy in the 1960s, military dictatorship in the 1970s and 1980s – followed by a desperate decline into civil war and chaos almost ever since.

Mohamed and Ambiyo fled the conflict, finding refuge in neighboring Kenya. Over 2 million Somali refugees fled to Kenya, however after a series of al-Shabab attacks in Kenya starting in 2011, the Kenyan government began ordering Somalis back into refugee camps and some to return to Somalia.

Mohamed and Ambiyo eventually settled in the United States, where they and their eight children have been living in a three bedroom, one bathroom duplex on Milwaukee’s near west side. Mohamed has been employed at Cargill for three years, while Ambiyo has worked at Goodwill since 2016.

After years of fleeing chaos, Habitat made it affordable to finally have a home with enough space for their large family and a safe, stable place for their children to grow up.

See more photos of their house dedication

Living in rent-adjusted housing for the past 14 years, Tennille felt like she could never get ahead of her housing costs. When her income increased, often times so did her rent. She worked hard to escape this cycle and invest in Habitat home ownership.

With this home, she hopes to be able to raise a family. Additionally, with the money she’ll save through Habitat’s affordable mortgage she hopes to eventually open a childcare facility.

“My goal is to open an early childhood center,” says Tennille. “The savings will open that door for me.”

See more photos of her house dedication