Keri Gill

A homeowner since 2003, Keri Gill began laying the foundation where her family could truly settle in—finding both reassurance and renewed hope for herself and her children.

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At the time, Keri was navigating life as a newly single mother of four young children—ages 8, 7, 3, and an infant—while living in a mobile home and working as a mental health technician at Oaklawn, earning $9 an hour. Homeownership through a traditional mortgage felt out of reach. When she was accepted into Habitat’s program, she was both surprised and overjoyed. She worked full-time while completing her 250 sweat-equity hours, helping build not only her own home but also alongside other families on their journeys.

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Receiving the keys to her home marked a turning point. Her family put down roots in the Wa-Nee Community School district, where her children thrived academically and built lasting friendships. With an affordable mortgage, Keri was able to support their involvement in extracurricular activities like band and sports. Homeownership also opened doors for her personally—she went on to earn both her associate’s and bachelor’s degrees, and later completed her MBA from Bethel College. Within ten years, she had paid off her mortgage in full, eventually selling her home and using the equity to purchase another with a conventional loan.

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Reflecting on her journey, Keri shared, “Owning a Habitat home allowed me to make other choices. We didn’t have to hop around from house to house, and homeownership gave my children stability.” Today, her children are grown and living independently, and Keri serves as an HR Manager for the Boys & Girls Club in Atlanta, Georgia—continuing to invest in the lives of others, just as others once invested in hers.