06/19/2026
🏠June is National Homeownership Month, and we're celebrating the life-changing impact that homeownership can have for generations.
Twenty years ago, Wanda partnered with Habitat for Humanity to build and purchase her home. Today, her mortgage is paid in full, and her story is a powerful reminder of what affordable homeownership makes possible.
❓How has owning my home changed my life and my family’s life?
"Owning my home has been the most rewarding thing I have done in my life. It has the best feeling anyone can ever experience. When I divorced from my marriage of 15 ½ years, it was a very scary feeling as I was starting over, and I had children to ensure that they would have a home to come home to. We have lived in apartments; they have certain criteria that you must abide by. I wanted something that I could work toward owning and not continue to rent. I can honestly say that, along with the challenges that I have endured in my life, I stayed positive and was supported by close family and friends. I can also say I helped build my home. I chose the colors etc.
It wasn’t a handout but a hand up. Hard work and perseverance pay off."
❓What is your favorite memory, tradition, or everyday moment that has happened in my home?
"I have many memories of the years in my home. I was able to host my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. I love the Christmas season; I always like to decorate and have a huge tree. I am very thankful for where I am today. I am very thankful that I have a home to go home to. When I see what the current times we are living in, my memory is I am so thankful that I have a home, I am not homeless, and I can host family gatherings, have friends over, and I don’t have to worry about any complaints."
❓What does home today mean to me?
"The best feeling to know is that my home is a safe place to be able to lay my head at night. It is very rewarding, and it does boost your confidence to continue to work hard for what you need."
As we celebrate National Homeownership Month, we're reminded that home is more than four walls; it’s security, confidence, memories, and a foundation for the future.đźŹ
Thank you, Wanda, for sharing your story