Meet Our Families

​La'Shombrie, a single mother to her 4-year-old daughter, currently lives in a small one-bedroom apartment where they share a bed. The apartment has issues with mold, and repairs from the landlord have been slow. Rather than invest in temporary fixes, La'Shombrie is focused on saving every dollar for the down payment on her future home and essentials for their new space. She’s ready to make her lifelong dream of homeownership a reality.  >>More

Emily 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. Emily 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. >>More

Inez is a single mother of three children—Alina (11), Roberto (7), and Isaias (5). The family currently lives in the Washington Gardens apartments in Elkhart. Inez is eager to move because she does not feel safe allowing her children to play outside due to the violence in their apartment complex.
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Hunter and Kalista are proud parents to three young children—Carson (6), Kenson (3), and Kennedy (2). Hunter works as a Senior Bank Teller at Inova Federal Credit Union, while Kalista stays home to care for their children. For the past five years, the family has lived in a two-bedroom apartment in the Waterfall High Rise public housing. Their current living conditions are difficult, with pest infestations in the building, windows that do not open, and no heating or air conditioning. >>More

Quinton and Jessica have only known renting. They've dreamed of becoming homeowners and are excited to provide their family with stability. They have three children, Anthony (11), Zoey (8), Violet (6), and their niece Jasmine (19). They look forward to having a yard for their children to play in and being able to decorate their home and make it uniquely their own. >>More

Jasmine, a single mother to two-year-old Ariaa, is eager to give her daughter the stability of a permanent home. Having faced years of uncertainty herself, moving from place to place since childhood, Jasmine now dreams of providing Ariaa with safety, security, and a bedroom of her own—things she has long hoped for but never had. >>More

Kristin, a single mom of two, Khari (7), and Aria (5). Both children have "special needs" and she pours all of her love and attention on her kids. Kristin has worked as a Shift Manager at Papa John's for 5 years. She and her family have lived in Washington Gardens apartments for nearly 4 years. She desperately wants to move so that her children can have a safe yard to play in. >> More

Holley and her 19-year-old son, Jayvion, are eager to move into a home of their own. They currently live in an apartment in Goshen, where rent keeps rising and maintenance issues are slow to be addressed. Holley looks forward to the stability of homeownership and the peace of mind that comes with an affordable mortgage. She dreams of hosting family gatherings and creating lasting memories in her new home. >>More

Vanessa is a devoted single mother of five children: Saraya (19), Drew Jr. (8), Natalli (6), Nico-Léon (3), and baby Santino Michael (3 months). For the past four years, her family has lived in a small three-bedroom single-wide trailer where overcrowding and poor living conditions have taken a toll. >>More

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Vanessa is a dedicated single mother of three—Zacariah (14), DeShawn (12), and Brooklyn (4). For the past nine years, she has worked as a Co-Teacher in the Toddler classroom at Foundations Early Childhood. >>More 

J is a single mother of five children, aged 4 to 13, and works full-time as a youth care specialist at a local nonprofit that helps young men overcome behavioral and substance use challenges. She’s dedicated to being a source of stability—both for those she serves and for her own family.

Over the years, J and her children have moved 16 times in 13 years, living in rentals with unsafe conditions—mold, faulty wiring, plumbing leaks, and windows that won’t open. These issues have been especially hard on her youngest child, who has asthma and other health complications.​

Kayla's journey to homeownership began in the summer of 2025 when she was accepted into Habitat for Humanity’s program. For Kayla and her three children—D’Marion (13), Kalees (12), and Kaleah (10)—it marks a long-awaited fresh start.

After ending a seven-year relationship, the family lived temporarily with friends. Though grateful, the arrangement was crowded and short-term. Six months later, Kayla secured a two-bedroom apartment—the most she could afford— but space remains tight, with her daughters sharing a room, her son in the other, and Kayla sleeping in a section of the living room. >>More

Hannah is a single mother of two daughters, 8-year-old Nevaeh and 6-year-old Lexi. They currently rent an older home in Elkhart, where rent continues to increase despite unresolved maintenance issues. At one point, Code Enforcement found unsafe wiring and a cracked foundation that allowed groundwater into the basement. Hannah also does not feel the area is safe for her family.

Hannah has been on her own since she was 18 and has worked to provide stability for her daughters. She learned about Habitat for Humanity’s homeownership program through social media and a personal connection, and applied in 2024 after realizing she could not continue living paycheck to paycheck without additional support. >>More

Marisol 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.  >>More

Lisa Conley is a single mother of two sons, Xavier (4) and Tyler (15). She works as the head secretary at Hawthorne Early Learning Center, where she has worked in education for the past seven years.

Before applying to Habitat for Humanity’s Homeownership Program, Lisa left a volatile relationship to create a safer environment for her family. She and her boys temporarily lived with friends in an overcrowded home. >>More​​​​​​​​

Ashley has worked at Texas Roadhouse for nearly 11 years while raising her three children, Sophia (14), Benji (8), and her youngest (2).

In 2024, the home Ashley was renting was sold. Although she was initially told she could remain, the new owner required her to move out. Ashley and her children first stayed with her mother, but overcrowding created tension. They then moved in with her grandmother. While the environment is calmer, the home is still crowded, and safety is a concern, with gunshots sometimes heard nearby.  >> More

Latricia is a devoted single mother of four sons—Jaevier (18), Jaelon (15), Sontre (12), and Brian (6). For the past five years, she has worked as a CNA at Woodland Manor in Elkhart, demonstrating both commitment and resilience while supporting her family.

After facing unsafe and deteriorating living conditions in a rental home—where leaking toilets and mold made the space unlivable—Latricia made the difficult decision to move in with her mother in Kalamazoo. Currently, she and her two youngest sons share a single room, while she continues to commute daily to Elkhart for work. >> More

Daeliel works as a QMA for ShiftKey and is the mother of
8-year-old Da-Ttrius.

She and her son currently live in an income-based apartment where she has experienced ongoing safety and maintenance concerns. Daeliel has witnessed violence, unsupervised children, and substance abuse in the complex. Inside her unit, there is mold and non-functioning electrical outlets. Despite submitting multiple work orders, most issues remain unresolved. She does not feel safe, and her concerns deepened once her son was old enough to voice his own worries. >> More​​​​​​​​​​​