Josell has always made a promise to her kids: one day, she would buy them a house of their own.
However, like for so many Americans, homeownership felt just out of reach, and they were left renting.
Josell is a mother of three— she has two young adult sons and a 10-year old daughter. Josell, who works in the medical field, is a single-parent who has continuously worked hard to provide for her kids and raise them in a strong, loving environment. But she has always had a nagging feeling that renting a place somehow just didn’t quite feel like theirs.
Josell first applied for Habitat’s program several years back, but at that time, she could not be approved for the program because she did not meet the program’s financial requirements. She worked really hard to clean up her credit and become stronger financially, and she reapplied in 2019. Much to everyone’s joy, her hard work paid off, and she was approved. Josell wants other applicants who may be in the same position to keep encouraged and keep trying the way she did.
The family of four is now barreling towards the day when they will walk through the front door of a home that they own. Josell has been working all summer alongside volunteers from some of Rockford’s Covenant churches to build a 4-bedroom home just a few blocks from where she works. They have been keeping some of their belongings in boxes since their current apartment is too small, and they are excited to have the space to unpack and spread out. Josell is eager to hang pictures on the wall. Josell’s daughter, the baby of the family, is looking forward to painting her room pink.
“I made a promise to my kids that we would settle some day and have a place of our own,” says Josell. “Because of this house, I am going to be able to keep that promise.”
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