Emily Bender applied to Habitat for Humanity’s homeownership program in the fall of 2023. A single mother to her 12-year-old son, Cameron, Emily’s journey has been marked by resilience. Shortly after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Not long after, she went through a divorce, leaving her to rent a single room that she and Cameron had to share. A two-bedroom apartment was simply unaffordable.

 

When Emily began experiencing seizures, her situation became even more difficult. She and Cameron moved in with her parents, who have always kept an open-door policy for family in need.

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Emily first heard about Habitat’s homeownership program from her father, who works for Momper Insulation—a long-time gift-in-kind sponsor for Habitat. Familiar with the organization’s mission, her father encouraged her to apply.

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Because of her disability, Emily lives on a fixed income and doesn’t qualify for a traditional mortgage. “Habitat is the only path for me to become a homeowner,” she shared.

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Emily looks forward to the day she and her son will each have their own rooms—and the comfort of knowing they won’t have to move again. When she received the call that she had been accepted into the program, she was genuinely surprised. “It’s still sinking in,” she said.

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Since then, she has completed Habitat’s homeownership and financial literacy classes. While Emily credits her parents as excellent role models in both maintaining a home and managing finances, she said the classes reinforced what they had taught her. She’s hopeful that having an affordable mortgage will also allow her to pay down medical debt.

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Above all, Emily is ready to give her son the safety and stability he deserves. And, they’re hoping to get a dog.