“My house will be built from walls and beams but a home is made of love and dreams.”
Eugenio Leandry has worked for 5 years at Baxter as a packer. Him and his wife, Rosaura, 54, have three children together: their oldest son, 23- year- old Nickolas, their daughter, 20- year- old Emily, and their youngest, 10- year- old Ethan. When Nickolas isn’t working, he enjoys playing video games and board games. Emily is artistic, with passions including drawing, sculpting, and digital art. Ethan shares similar interests with his older siblings, including board games and arts- and- crafts. Rosaura, a cancer survivor, is currently working towards her Associates degree. As a family, they spend time watching movies and enjoying bike rides! Rosaura and Eugenio work very hard to provide for their family.
The house the Leandry family currently resides in is falling apart. “The heater doesn’t work. My wife usually tapes all the windows every winter. There is mold because there is no proper insulation in the house, when it becomes too hot in the summer the walls sweat or when it gets too cold in the winter we have to put on dangerous electric heaters” explains Eugenio. The family has moved before due to rent increases, which takes a toll on the family. However, they now have circumstances that require them to remain in this area. “We need to be near Ethan’s doctors and specialists as well as my wife’s oncologist for her monitoring. Also, my wife is in the Surgical Technologist program which is hard to get into and if we move away she will be dropped and lose her grant” Eugenio tells us. While the family understands how difficult this process might be, they have faith for a shot at a better home that can accommodate the families necessities.
Eugenio imagines a life without a fear of being homeless or moving again, thanks to their acceptance into the Habitat program. Eugenio explains that he looks forward to “having a place to call my own where all my kids have a bedroom and everything in the home is working.” He hopes to leave his children with a home, creating a chance for a better future. Eugenio feels he has been given “…the tools to succeed” through Habitat for Humanity. He encourages others to volunteer, describing it as a “…selfless act of love and compassion towards a family who is in need.”
At Habitat for Humanity, our mission is to bring people together to build homes, communities and hope. We believe in a world that everyone has a decent place to live. If you or someone you know is interested in participating in the Habitat Homeownership Program, please check out our Apply Page for more information on how to get started.
“I am building because I want to create a better future for my children.”
