“Habitat for Humanity is a program that leaves an imprint on so many families.”

Shantell McMillian, a Secretary and Bookkeeper at Bayside High School and a mother of two, is looking forward to her family having their forever home. “I am a single mother of a high school and elementary student. So yes, our schedule can seem a bit crazy at times, but we make the best of it!” Her daughter, Adriel, is 16-years-old and is currently a cheerleader for her high school basketball team. She also enjoys track and field, dancing, and hanging out with friends. Joshua, her 9-year-old son, enjoys playing video games on his Xbox, boxing, and playing with his cousins. When asked about her family, Shantell tells us “We enjoy listening to music and watching movies together, all while cracking jokes with one another.”

For the past five years, the McMillian family has lived in a rental house managed by a landlord who does not keep up on maintenance or safety issues. “It has come to the point we have to be cautious now when going in our back yard because random cars, people, and trash tends to be back there,” Shantell explains. “I have expressed this with the landlord on possibly getting a fence since these issues are occurring more frequently, but nothing really came out of that conversation.” Shantell is excited for the day when she receives the keys to her new forever home that will be safe, affordable, and free of unreliable landlords.

When Shantell was first accepted into the Habitat program, she tell us that she was shocked at first. “Immediately became excited, thrilled, and nervous at the same time, but was definitely looking forward to starting the program.” In her new home, Shantell is excited to decorate and plant a garden. “I can’t wait to put my touch on it,” she says.

Volunteers are an important part of the Habitat mission. We could not build as many homes as we do each year without the help of volunteers in our community. “Volunteering is a great opportunity to give back to a family,” Shantell says. “It will help provide affordable housing to a family that really needs it. Sometimes that family consists of children in our schools and parents that work in jobs in our community. So, it’s a way to help each other out while building up our communities.” For more information on how to volunteer on our build sites, ReStores, and at our events, please visit our Volunteer Page on our website for more information.

“I imagine that I will have a forever home for my family to be proud to have and make some great memories in.”

This home is sponsored by

Michael & Carolina Holtz

The McMillian Family home was dedicated on January 30th, 2023.