“I have always dreamed of being a homeowner and having somewhere we could call our own.”

Martha, a mother of three, works hard as an Administrative Assistant for GrandVilla Senior Living. “We are a very close family, and we do everything together. I am a hard-working single mother that has committed to keeping my children on track. The road has not been easy, but I never gave up.”

Her daughter, Ericka, graduated from the University of South Florida in December of 2020 with her Bachelors of Science cum laude. She is now on the road to becoming an RN through Rasmussen College with a goal of becoming an NICU nurse. Her older son, Jeremie, is looking forward to joining the army, while her younger son, MaSirvion, started high school this year. Both boys enjoy football and basketball. “We love to have game nights as a family, while doing arts and crafts and watching football games together.”

The family has lived in the same small house for over nine years, which has become a struggle as the children grew bigger. “I currently share a room with my daughter. We no longer have the space we need. Along with this, the roof leaks when it rains, and we have some mildew and mold issues.”

When Martha was accepted into the Habitat Homeownership Program, she said, “I was so excited I cried. I realized that my hard work was finally paying off to give my kids somewhere to call home. They will always have a place to come back to if they need it. I am so thankful for this opportunity.”

Although volunteer opportunities look a little different this year, Martha says she still is enjoying the process and learning something new in every class. “I am thankful that I have someone walking with me through this process, and teaching me what I need to know along the way. I am eager to make new friends while working on building my home.”

“With this home, I imagine my life being complete. We will finally have a place to call our own. Everyone will have their own space, and we can enjoy having family time even more. This is a blessing to my family.”

The Dennis’ home is sponsored by “Friends of USF”: Les & Pam Muma; Kate Tiedemann & Ellen Cotton; Jeffrey & Brandy Fishman; Terry & Carol Mullane; Mike Sutton; Jordan & Michelle Myers; Marc Ostroff; Camila Gonzalez; and Todd St. John-Fulton.

The Dennis Family home was dedicated on June 4th, 2021.