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Cincinnati Habitat
will build 10 new homes and rehab 4 in 2010.
Come meet the families who will be the future home owners!
Stephona Bowman is a single mother of two girls -- Adaria, age 14
and Taylor, age 12.Stephona works full-time at Fifth Third Bank
and also attends Antonelli College. She will be earning her
Business Degree in Computer Network and Tech Support in this year.
Stephona said, “Our family is very supportive and caring of one
another and others. Home is a powerful word in my family. The
first things that come to mind when thinking of our own home are
safety, security, warmth, comfort and most of all filling it with
loving, caring family and friends. Having this opportunity is not
just about getting a new house, but about establishing a new
beginning. I have spent a lifetime of renting and, at times, in less
than desirable housing. This opportunity to build and buy my
own home provides a long-term sense of security in having something
of our own.” |
Stephona Bowman
Family
Future homeowner of
3592 Dick St. in Avondale
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Christine
Campbell Family
Future homeowner of 2821 Preston St.
in Walnut Hills |
Christine Campbell is a single mother of two girls
-- Ephinity, age 16, and Eyziraha, age 12-- and a son --
Ezyontae, age 10.
Christine said about her family, “I work full-time and like to
skate and go bowling. My 16-year old daughter is in the 10th grade
at Winthrow and likes to read and write. My two youngest children
attend Hays Elementary/Junior High. My daughter is in the 6th grade
and plays basketball and is a cheerleader. My son is in the
5th grade and he plays football, basketball and loves playing
outside with friends. Both of my youngest children attend the Boys &
Girls Club.
Buying my own home means a stable foundation for me and my kids.
It is just so exciting to know that I get to help build something
that will be mine. I can't wait to move into a home for the
first time where everything is new. I feel that I am a hard
worker and deserve this opportunity to be a homeowner and I believe
that this is my time to be blessed with building and buying my own
home.” |
| Jacqueline Chandler is a single mother with four
children: a boy, Jordan, age 13, and three girls -- Jyeisha,
age 7, Jewel, age 6, and Jocelyn, age 4.
Jacqueline works at Brown Mackie College. Her family currently
rents a three-bedroom home for more than $700 per month (estimated
$300 more than what her Habitat mortgage payment will be).
Jacqueline said about her family, “My children and I like playing
games, watching TV together and are very outgoing people. Owning our
own home is a dream I have had for years. I came from a single
parent home and my mother worked 2-3 jobs for us to live in an
apartment. I am very grateful for her; however, I wanted so much
more for my children. I have worked very hard to get to this point.
My family is responsible and we take care of our things. My girls
are looking forward to more space and we are all sincerely looking
forward to building and buying our very own home.” |
Jacqueline
Chandler Family
Future homeowner of 4538 Lucerne Ave.
in Madisonville
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Cheghali
Elkalili &
Fatiha Mahmoudi
Family
Future homeowner of 10293 Storm Ave.
in Colerain Township
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Cheghali and Fatiha have two
sons, Ahmad, age 3 and Youssef, age 2.
Cheghali is a taxi-cab driver with US Taxi. Cheghali and Fatiha
said our kids are lovely and happy. We wish to live in peace and
have a wonderful life. We really like people, talking with them and
helping others.” They added, “Buying a home was our number one goal,
but it wasn’t possible to reach it because we couldn’t afford a
mortgage. Through Habitat for Humanity, our dream is becoming a
reality. We are glad and very excited to enjoy the experience of
working on our build site. We really needed this opportunity. We are
so tired from moving place to place and we need an area for our boys
to play and more space as they grow up. This is such a great
opportunity for our family to reach our goal of purchasing our own
home.” |
| Robert and Charleen Green have four
children: two boys -- Dorian, age 11, and Robert, Jr., age 7 -- and
two girls -- Chardonnay, age 10, and Raymaya, age 5.
Robert has been with the Montgomery Inn Boat House for over 10
years. Charleen has worked for over 10 years at the Cincinnati
Public Schools.
Robert and Charleen said, “We are a very happy, cheerful family.
We work together and play together. Dorian plays football;
Chardonnay is a Mozart-in-training and loves playing the piano.
Robert has gone back to school to work towards an engineering
degree.”
The Greens said, “We work very well together as a family. It
means so very much that we can finally have a place to call our own.
We are looking for a new start and this home is the beginning of a
whole new life.”
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Robert &
Charleen Green Family
Future homeowner of 2304 Boone St.
in Walnut Hills
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Jane Huff Family
Future homeowner of 3588 Dick St.
in Avondale |
Jane Huff is a single mother who is raising four
grandchildren: two boys -- Zaire, age 15, and Donald, age 9 -- and
two girls -- Zaunisha, age 13, and Rashay, age 11. Miss Huff said,
“My family is one that loves each other very much. I am a hard
worker and I have always dreamed of being able to provide my
grandchildren a home of their own where they can have a garden, a
backyard and place to play.”
Jane has worked for the University of Cincinnati since 1987 and
is very excited to be building and buying a home with Cincinnati
Habitat for Humanity because she feels this is something her
grandchildren deserve -- a place they can always call home even
after she has gone.
Jane has completed construction training in her “younger days”
and even briefly worked for a concrete contractor so she is very
excited about working on her construction site, breaking out her old
tools, and building her home side by side with the volunteers. |
| Margaret Johnson and her husband came to the United
States from Sierra Leone. Last year, tragedy struck when her husband
died suddenly after a stroke leaving Margaret to raise their two
sons, James, age 9 and William, age 3. Margaret said, “I want
Cincinnati Habitat to know that providing a home for my children is
a dream come true. I wish their father was here to share this dream
with us -- 'The American Dream' and my sons’ education, which is the
key to their future." "Ten years ago, we lived in tents in a
refugee camp with little to no food or water. Buying this home
is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for my family.” Margaret went on
to say, “My family needed this opportunity to build and buy our own
home because of our hopes for our sons’ future, because of our past
life as refugees and the opportunity to provide our sons a stable
and permanent home. Though my husband has passed, I will not relent
to strive for the future of our children. As a widow, I need a
secure and affordable home and Cincinnati Habitat is providing that
opportunity. This truly is a lifelong dream come true for myself and
my family.”
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Margaret Johnson Family
Future homeowner of 1189 Homeside Ave.
in College Hill
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Felita Jordan Family
Future homeowner of 1141 Homeside Ave.
in College Hill |
Felita Jordan is single mom with two daughters,
Christine Calloway, age 16 and Michah Calloway, age 12.
Felita said, “It is just the three of us. Christine is a typical
16-year-old girl. Micah is the determined one who pursued the
idea of our family applying for a Cincinnati Habitat home. My
children and I are a loving family and we have been waiting all of
our lives for an opportunity like this to build and buy our own
home.” Felita added, “Our current apartment is very crowded and we
need more space. My family is so excited -- to have our own home is
something we have always wanted!”
Felita is very excited and curious to know about the differences
her Cincinnati Habitat home will incorporate as we work to build a
not only simple, decent and affordable home, but also one that
explores the new options in green building and energy efficiency.
The building of her home will help up to implement building changes
that can lead to a new sustainable model for future Cincinnati
Habitat for Humanity builds. |
| Chala Lewis is a single
mother with three daughters: Makayla, age 14, Kaylen, age 9, and
Alana, age 5.
Chala said, “I am very happy for each day. All of my life I have
wanted my own home. I used to dream as a child to have the perfect
family -- children, husband, cars and my very own home. My life did
not turn out to be the way I dreamt when I was a child. But, I want
to show my children that through hard work, dedication and the grace
of God, all things are possible. I want this home to give them a
sense of ownership and something that they will appreciate and
cherish.” |
Chala Lewis Family
Future homeowner of
3584 Dick St. in Avondale
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Brandie Miller
Family
Future homeowner of 3647 Fyffe Ave.
in Westwood
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Brandie Miller
has three children: a son -- Baraill, age 1-- and two daughters -- Breyelle, age 4
and , Breyana, age 7.
Brandie said, “My family is a hidden treasure that enjoys life to
the fullest and we enjoy each other. My children are
beautiful, outgoing young people. Every moment they
are learning or trying something new. I am so grateful for this
opportunity that Cincinnati Habitat has given us. Buying and
building our own home means the world to my family and provides a
sense of stability of having something to call our very own.”
Brandie said, “I want to show my kids that hard work and
dedication pays off. My daughter once asked why no one in my family
owned their own home. She went on to say that when they go over to a
friend’s home, they have backyards and places to play. I was hurt
and lost for words and I knew I had to show my children a sense of
stability and home and now we have that opportunity.”
Brandie works at IKON Document Efficiency.
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Alice Ward is a single mom of three: two daughters -- Ahsaquia, age
10, and Ja’Mya, age 8 and a son, Gary, age 7. When asked to describe
her family, Alice said, “My family and I are like most other
families. We are very close and loving. We enjoy being around each
other and know how important it is to put family first. We like
watching movies, playing games and enjoying each other’s company. We
are blessed in so many ways and try to be and do our very best at
anything we do in life. My kids are all honor roll students and all
have a love for music. Ahsaquia plays the flute, Ja’Mya the violin
and Gary plays piano.”
About the opportunity to build, or in this case rehab, and then
buy her own home, Alice said, “Two of my children have disabilities
that require they have enough space to do physical therapy exercises
and store necessary equipment. Currently, we have a small apartment
and have an urgent need for space. It is such a blessing for me and
my family to own our own home and it is truly a dream come true. |
Alice Ward
Family
Future homeowner of 10334 Pippin Ln.
in Colerain Township
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