“Earning sweat equity hours can be challenging while having children and working a full time job, but its possible and you just have to make sacrifices.”

Kendra has worked as a Middle School Teacher for six years. She is currently studying to obtain a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership, while still working and taking care of her family. “I enjoy spending time with my family, and challenging the minds of 12-13 year olds.”

Her oldest son, Jayden, loves sports, specifically watching football and playing basketball. He enjoys playing his PlayStation, and learning about History. Kendra says, “Jayden has taught me patience and the true meaning of love. His entrance in this world changed me the better, as that’s when I realized that someone else was dependent on me.” Her youngest son, Kason, is only a year old, and loves banging on the pots and pans, and talking on his play telephone. “Kason, our miracle baby, was born prematurely weighing only four pounds. His presence strengthened my faith. He has also taught Jayden to be more responsible and caring. The bond they have is amazing.”

For the past ten years, the family has been moving from apartment to apartment almost every year. This was due to the yearly increase in rent, which pushed the family into some not so ideal spaces. “In order to keep rent affordable, I had to find different move in specials yearly. This is challenging for my family, because that meant my son had to adjust to a different area and find new friends. Sometime the apartment communities were not safe, which stopped my son from playing outside like kids are supposed to.”

When Kendra was accepted into the Habitat program, she said she was “appreciative, ecstatic, and felt like God had finally answered my prayers.” She quickly realized how owning a home is a major responsibility. “Working on the build sites is exciting. A lot of hard work, but exciting. It makes you more appreciative of the home that you will receive because you put so much work into it.”

“With a Habitat home, my family will be safe and stable. There will not be any more moving, and my kids will be able to make lifelong friends in their neighborhood. My kids deserve to grow up in a living situation that was better than their own; they deserve to have a home.