WITH YOUR HELP, SHELONDA'S FAMILY IS HEALTHY AT HOME

Healthy at Home Together

Here at Habitat Chicago, we are committed to keeping our community united during these unprecedented times. Over the next few weeks, we will provide you with ideas and opportunities to help you, your families, and your community stay safe and healthy at home.

For our second edition, we're sharing how the generosity of supporters like you has provided a Habitat homeowner and her family peace of mind as they shelter in place. Thank you, and be well!

Shelonda's Story

For the last two years, Shelonda's Habitat home has provided her and her family comfort following the anxieties of inadequate living situations. Prior to purchasing her affordable Habitat home, Shelonda lived in cramped and “uninhabitable” apartments with her son and her grandmother. The conditions were far from ideal, especially for her grandmother's health. Shelonda recalls that, "during this difficulty in our lives, I was most afraid for my grandmother. I feared that she would have a heart attack and at night I use to check on her to make sure she was okay.”

During these difficult times, Shelonda and her family also were forced to move twice within six months as a result of no-cause evictions in gentrifying neighborhoods. She remembers, "after the second eviction, [my grandmother] told me that she did not think that she could do it all again. I said, 'I know'. I knew that we needed a better life and that it was my responsibly to give us that life." Ultimately Shelonda decided enough was enough, and built a path with Habitat to become a homeowner, taking control of her “family’s destiny.”

In the face of the Coronavirus pandemic, Shelonda’s gratitude for the stability of her Habitat home beats stronger than ever. Shelonda says,

“Having a Habitat home during the coronavirus, right now, is essential. If we had to follow the stay-at-home order in our old place, it would have been harder because we lived in a cramped apartment that was pretty uninhabitable, especially for a senior. Now that we own our home, there is a tremendous sense of peace and security during this crazy time. It’s a blessing, because we have a place of peace amongst the insanity. Our mind is at peace."

These times are scary and trying for all, there is no denying that. Yet because of supporters like you, more Chicago families have the ability to feel safe and healthy at home.

Keep on Building 

A crisis like COVID-19 reminds us all how important it is to have a safe and stable home to shelter, yet being healthy and safe at home is not yet a possibility for many of our Chicago neighbors. We know these are uncertain times for everyone, and Habitat Chicago is no exception. If you can, please consider making a donation to the Habitat Chicago COVID-19 Resiliency Fund. With your support, more Chicago families will have the opportunity to feel safe and healthy at home.