Carmona Family
Marisol Carmona knows what it means to carry more than most. As a mother of an eight-year-old and a newborn, she has been balancing grief, responsibility, and resilience all at once. After losing her son’s father and supporting her family through her brother’s battle with cancer, Marisol found herself living in crowded conditions filled with stress and heavy memories. Even as a social worker with the Elkhart County Health Department, helping others through vulnerable moments, she often felt stuck, holding it together for everyone else while quietly navigating her own healing.
But everything began to shift when a coworker told her about Habitat for Humanity. The structure of the program, the financial education, and the clear path forward gave her hope she had not felt in a long time. Marisol admits she does not always show her emotions, but when she learned she had been selected for a Habitat home, she was both shocked and grateful. She knew this opportunity was more than a house. It was the start of something new.
At this year’s Raise the Roof event, Marisol’s future will begin to take shape as the first walls of her home go up. For her, this home represents more than space. It represents healing. It will be a place where grief does not define the atmosphere, where her children can feel safe, and where new memories can grow. It is also a powerful reminder to her children that homeownership is possible and that with perseverance and support, they can build a future of their own.
Marisol is determined to make the most of this opportunity. Through Habitat’s classes, she has gained financial skills, learned how to maintain a home, and started planning for what comes next, including pursuing a master’s degree in social work and public health. An affordable mortgage will give her the freedom to keep growing, both for herself and for her children.
She already dreams about what life will look like one year from now. Bike rides with her kids at Oxbow. Flowers blooming in a garden she planted herself. Laughter filling a space that finally feels like home. A go-getter at heart, Marisol is used to helping others rise. Now, with Habitat by her side, she is building a place where her own family can rise too.
