“I want to build a more stable life and future for myself and to set an example for my friends and family who want to do the same thing – I want everyone to have their own home!”

Joyce is a single woman working in Vocational Rehabilitation who loves her job, her friends & family, and her “fur babies”! She has two dogs: Wolf, a gentle giant who dug his way into her yard, and Bingo a deaf sweetheart she adopted from the shelter. She also has two cats, Frick and Squeak, who were both dumped as kittens at two different library branches she was working at. “Home is where my fur babies are!”

Rent for Joyce has becoming increasingly expensive, especially with four pets. “My rent is 2/3 of my income and I pretty much get to each month praying I’ll have no unexpected expenses. After rent and utilities, I have very little left over for anything unplanned.” On top of that, she has been dealing with multiple moving expenses, minor breast cancer, and stress in her life.

After receiving the call that she was accepted into the Habitat program, Joyce was so excited. “I cried, literally. I was so ecstatic to think in as soon as a year I’ll have my own home! I will be able to hang photos on the wall, put up shelves, and PLANT things!”

“I’m looking forward to being able to garden, grow flowers and vegetables, and I just made my first new purchase for my new future home – organic catnip seeds!”

Joyce encourages anyone who is interested to look into becoming a Habitat volunteer. “Just do it! The paperwork and the number of hours seems overwhelming at first but just take that first step, then take one more, and then one more and before you know it you’re halfway down the road!”

“Habitat for Humanity is a blessing, one I wish I’d known about 20 or 30 years ago. They’re not just building homes, they’re building neighborhoods!”

The Bair Family Home was dedicated on September 30th, 2021 and was sponsored by Wells Fargo.