Partner Families
There is no typical Habitat family. The families who partner with us and the community to build brighter tomorrows come from a variety of backgrounds. We partner with teachers, musicians, policemen, pastors, office workers and more. We’re proud to introduce you to a few of our partner homeowners.
The Thomas Family
“We used to live in a small apartment in public housing. We would hear gunshots in the building, and my children would hit the floor. Now, in my Habitat home, they can play outside without fear. They attend a strong school district and have so many opportunities.”—Tania-Sue
Tania-Sue is a single mother of four children and a resource manager at an engineering firm for over ten years. Her income was not enough to afford a decent apartment. With Raritan Valley Habitat for Humanity and the community, Tania-Sue built her home from the ground up in a welcoming community in Somerset County.
Tania-Sue and her children just spent their first Christmas in their new home.
The Cordes Family
“The best part of this home is that it’s our home, and no one can take it away from us. Our home has given us the stability we need to thrive.”—Heather
Growing up, Heather moved frequently, sometimes changing schools twice in a year. When she turned 18, Heather’s parents encountered financial and physical hardships. To keep her family together, she legally adopted her 16-year-old sister and 4-year-old brother. Though she and her sister each worked full-time hours while completing high school, the best they could afford was a small, studio apartment. Because she was earning a steady income, Heather qualified as partner homeowner and built a home in Hunterdon County with the love and support of the community. Over 19 years later, both she and her sister completed college, and her brother attended Kindergarten through High School in the same school district.
Today, all three siblings are self-reliant in careers they love and leading happy lives.
The James Family
“I thought it was normal for schools to have bars on the windows, graffiti on the slides and swings that never worked. I thought it was normal to not go trick-or-treating on Halloween because the neighborhood was dangerous at night. And I thought I would live with asthma forever. When I moved into our Habitat home, my whole world transformed. Habitat gave me a place to grow, thrive, and succeed. It wasn’t just a house, it was a home, and most importantly, it was my home.”–Amirah
Amirah’s mother, a municipal employee, couldn’t afford to live where she worked. She commuted over two hours every day. Second-hand smoke would seep through walls in their small apartment aggravating Amirah’s asthma. After building their Somerset County home with the community, Amirah is thriving. Her asthma has cleared. She enrolled in gifted and talented classes at school and participated in enriching extracurricular activities.
She is now a junior in college studying to become a special education teacher.