“I want to be an example to show other families that owning a home is possible. Securing a better future for your children is possible.”

Raquel McGriff is a single mother of two beautiful children, Messiah (age 7) and Makena (age 1), who works at Vengroff Williams Inc. as an Insurance Specialist. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Health Administration from St. Petersburg College. Messiah likes football, skating, and hanging with family and friends. Makena enjoys dancing and living her best toddler life. The family loves to spend time together by going to the park and taking family vacations.

The family of three are currently living in a one-bedroom apartment where there is a lack of privacy and space for the young kids to grow. Raquel has to sleep on the pull out sofa in order for her children to have a bed to sleep in. She says “It’s even more frustrating because rent is constantly changing and that is frustrating in itself.”

When the family received the news that they were accepted into the Habitat program, they were overwhelmed and surprised. “When they initially called me they told me they needed me to sign some paperwork and we needed to meet face to face and at the time it didn’t make sense, but I just went with it. So when they showed up there were four of them and I thought ‘there is a lot of people here for some signing of papers’. And that’s when Jack presented me my acceptance award. I was so elated I was almost in tears. I cried when I got back in the house.”

The McGriff’s are excited to have a yard to spend time and play in when they move into their forever home. They are ready to have a place they can call their own.

“Habitat for Humanity is Heaven sent. It is the opportunity of a lifetime and I am thankful and blessed to be apart of the Habitat community.”

The McGriff Family Home was dedicated on November 19th, 2021 and was sponsored by Pinellas Community Partnerships.