“I am building because my children deserve a firm foundation and a place to call home.”

Alicia Franklin-Penix is a teacher at R’Club Child Care Inc. and has worked as an educator for 15 years. She is a single mother to two children: her 15-year-old son, Isaiah, and her 13-year-old daughter, Sariyah. Isaiah takes a strong interest in sports and animals, especially reptiles! Sariyah is a beauty-queen and loves doing her makeup and nails. She also loves going to the bookstore! Alicia describes herself as a hard-working mother who loves her children very much. “My children are my entire world and the reason I go as hard as I do. We are a family that is strong in our religion and beliefs. We are extremely close and we love hard.”

The family’s current living situation has been very stressful. Due to the current housing market and the expensive prices, it has made it very difficult to find an affordable place to live. The family of three is currently living with Alicia’s mother in her two-bedroom apartment. “Things are crowded, but I’m just thankful that we have a place to stay. It’s been challenging due to their not being enough space for everyone. We make the most of it, but I believe my children and I deserve a forever home that we can all be comfortable in and that will provide us with stability.”

When Alicia found out that she was accepted into the Habitat program, she felt very thankful. In her new forever home, she is most looking forward to being able to call the home her own. “I can’t wait to pull up in our driveway and unlock our door to walk into our home. I’m just looking forward to that moment when we close and I get the keys.” Applying for the Habitat program was the first step that Alicia took to provide a better life for her and her children. For more information on how to begin the Habitat Program application, please visit our Apply Page on our website.

“Being able to provide my children with a foundation and stability of a home will be so amazing. My children deserve a safe and welcoming place to call home. Being able to provide my children with that will take some of the stress away of not having to worry about where we are going to live.”