Alwell Family

 

Kristin Alwell is a devoted mother to two children, Khari (7) and Aria (5), both of whom have special needs. For the past five years, she has worked as a shift lead manager at Papa John’s, providing stability for her family while navigating the challenges of living in public housing in Elkhart.

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Life in their current neighborhood has been difficult. Violence is common, and one Thanksgiving, Kristin and her guests endured the terrifying experience of armed intruders bursting into her apartment. The fear and lack of safety mean her children are never allowed to play outside, and even something as simple as walking them to the car requires careful planning.

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Kristin’s grandmother encouraged her to apply for Habitat’s homeownership program. When she was accepted, she was overwhelmed with joy and brought to tears. Since joining the program, Kristin has gained valuable financial skills, learning the importance of savings, paying bills on time, and even successfully negotiating and lowering her phone and insurance costs.

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She has also embraced the hands-on work of building her future home. Kristin loves volunteering on construction sites, learning new skills, and gaining confidence in her ability to maintain her own home. “Working with Jay is fun—he makes it easy,” she shared.

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Looking ahead, Kristin dreams of traveling and one day owning her own food truck. But for now, she’s most excited about moving into a safe, stable home she helped build with her own hands.