“Ecstatic” is the word Korrine McKnight uses when she describes her and children’s thoughts about becoming Habitat for Humanity of Martin County homeowners. It has been a long, sometimes hard, road for McKnight and her children, but the payoff is well worth the setbacks she said.

             Korrine, 28, a Martin County native grew up in a home with eight brothers and sisters. She will be the first of those siblings to own her own home.

Korrine went to school and has been working at the Florida Health Community Center as a  Registered Medical Assistant. Currently, she and her two children, Adriana, 10, and Adrian, 7, are living in a three-bedroom home, with six other occupants.

“I am ecstatic to become a Habitat homeowner,” she said. “Nothing in the world could compare to me providing a firm foundation for my children.”

Those children love to have movie nights with their mom and play at the local park. Adriana has a wide variety of interests, including track and field, computer club, art club and music class. Adrian likes cars, airplanes and Legos – “Mommy’s little architect,” as Korrine calls him.

“The one thing they have is common is they both share Mommy’s heart,” she said.

Korrine first heard about Habitat for Humanity of Martin County from people in her community. When she first applied, she did not get approved. Nor did she get discouraged.

“That did not stop me,” she said. “Whatever was needed, I pushed forward to get it done. Today, look where I am. Ready to start a new endeavor.”

She reapplied and was approved, kicking off one of the most exciting chapters in her life.

“My heart races from the thought that when my children look at me they see Mommy the super  hero. It means the world to me,” Korrine said. “For me, nothing is taken for granted. I give thanks always. Being a Habitat homeowner will make an enormous difference in my and my children’s lives. We are looking forward to the first step in our new beginning.”

Her entire life, Bernarda Dominguez was a businesswoman, running food businesses in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and the United States.

Then she got sick in 2002. And again in 2006, when her heart stopped for a few seconds. And then again in 2016 when thrombosis put her in Intensive Care for seven days. Thanks to two subsequent strokes, Bernanda does not have 100 percent use of her right arm.

None of that, however, has dampened her desire to get back to work.

“I thank God I am still alive and want to continue to struggle to keep working,” the 68-year old mother of five said. “I am a business woman. I plan to start walking without assistance and  continue my business and enjoy my new Habitat home with my daughter.”

Bernarda’s daughter is Martha Dominguez, a widowed mother of four who immigrated to the United States from the Dominican Republic in 1989.

Martha, 51, has worked at Club Med as a housekeeper for the past 10 years. She and her mother applied together for a Habitat home so she could better tend to Bernarda’s needs.

“She told me before I got sick that I could not continue to live alone,” Bernanda said. “We applied and got approved for a Habitat home and a couple months later I had the thrombosis.   Everything happens for a reason.”

Both women enjoy eating at local restaurants in their free time or spending time together at home with the rest of the family.

Bernanda has taken advantage of the Kane Center’s Adult day Club while she is rehabilitating. She enjoys the opportunity to be in a social setting, playing bingo and regaining her independence.

She said she is looking forward to sitting on the porch of her new home, feeling the breeze and, for the first time in a long time, not have to wonder how the trailer they are living in will hold up during hurricane season.

Martha said owning her own home is a dream coming true.

“I always dreamed of becoming a homeowner and now my hard work and perseverance has really paid off,” she said. “I feel very happy to be a Habitat homeowner. At the Homebuyer Education Workshops I learned many things I did not know that will help us to become great  homeowners. Thank you to everyone at Habitat for Humanity of Martin County for giving me this great opportunity. I am very happy and grateful. Many people do not have the happiness of being homeowners.”

Becoming Habitat homeowners isn’t so much a dream come true for Alfredo Cornejo and Irais Ortiz, it’s the end of a nightmare.

             Alfredo, Irais and their two young children have been living in a trailer where rainwater has caused the walls to become soft and the floor to rot through. Directly next to the trailer is a septic tank which   overflows whenever it rains, creating dirty puddles and an unbearable stench.

Needless to say, this was not the dream Alfredo and Irais had when they moved to America from Mexico.

That will all change when they move into their Habitat home.

Santiago, 6, and Valeria, 4, will finally have a clean yard to play in. Alfredo and Irais will finally have peace of mind and be able to begin saving for their children’s futures.

“We will feel more secure and stable,” Alfredo said. “Just being more comfortable and knowing that our children will have their own space and, finally, stability.”

Alfredo works in Stuart as a house painter and driver, a job he has had for two years. Irais has worked in the cafeteria at a middle school in Palm Beach County for the past two years.

Santiago attends elementary school, where has proven to be very sociable, all about animal documentaries and excels in math. Valeria is in preschool and has impressed her teachers with her ability to care for other children and stand up for what is right.

“She is very protective and does not like injustice,” Alfredo said. “Santiago’s favorites are dinosaurs and math.”

Irais and Alfredo learned of the Habitat program through a co-worker and realized immediately the family could qualify without any problem. Irais will be the first member of her family to own a house in the United States, something in which both parents take a lot of pride.

“We feel fortunate and grateful that, through Habitat for Humanity, we will have the opportunity to own our home,” Alfredo said. “It means a lot since we will have a safer home and it had been one of our dreams to have a home of our own.”

But they know homeownership isn’t going to be easier.

“We will have more responsibilities as homeowners but, at the same time, we will be making an investment on a home that will belong to us,” he said. “At the same time it is an opportunity to establish permanence in a community. It is great personal satisfaction for us.”

Rigoberto Tomas-Lopez left his hometown of San Pedro Soloma, Huehuetenango, Guatemala and headed to Martin County 17 years ago, looking for a better opportunity to live and help his family, financially, back home.

                 Each day he leaves his uncle’s two-bedroom home (which he shares with four other people) and heads to work at Jupiter Country Club. He doesn’t mind the 25-mile, one-way trip, because it gives him time to clear his head and “enjoy the fresh air and sunrises”, he said.

Those wide open spaces are a change for him because, as he said, “we live really uncomfortable because our home is very small”.

One of the first things Rigoberto, 39, did when he moved to Martin County is join the Holy Cross Church in Indiantown. Still a thriving member of the parish, he said it is here that his faith has grown in Jesus Christ.

Holy Cross has several ministries designed to help grow the faith in our community. Rigoberto is very active in a ministry that is dedicated to rescuing people who have lost their way in the church.

“These are people who have abandoned their faith, have practically turned away from God,” Rigoberto said. “We do a retreat for three days and many of them come back to the church. My hope is to continue learning and to help others to get better opportunities in their lives.”

When he is not active in his church, Rigoberto spends his free time with friends, eating, celebrating holidays and taking part in many other activities. He learned about the Habitat for Humanity program through a friend and worked for eight years to finally become a homeowner.

“Now I feel too happy because I am finally going to be Homeowner,” he said. “I had this yearning and it finally came true. When I was informed that I was approved for a Habitat home, at first I could not believe that I would become a homeowner. But thanks to God and Habitat for Humanity of Martin County, I have now come to realize my dreams.

“From now on, I will continue working hard for my house to always keep it clean, make my payments in due time and maintain a good relationship with my new neighbors.”

Rigoberto is excited to move into his new neighborhood. During the time he was gathering his Sweat Equity hours, he got the chance to meet and work next to his future neighbors.

“I can say that we have interacted very well during the time I have known them, and that fills me with great joy,” Rigoberto said. “My neighbors are my new family.”

Lazaro Tapia and Gloria Aguirre have known each other their entire lives. From the playground and sitting next to each other in desks in elementary school in San Lucas Michoacan, Mexico to working the fields in North Carolina, Lazaro and Gloria have been together forever.

                  “I think we have been together all our lives,” Lazaro said. ”First we were friends, later came the courtship and we were married in 1984. We have 33 years of marriage and I hope to continue next to my wife for many more years.” Through 33 years of marriage and four children, the one thing they have never done together is own their own home. Until now.

As they move into their new Habitat home, Lazaro and Gloria are able to focus on the bright future – for them and their children – and finally forget about the dreadful living conditions they have endured.

“The place where we live is a trailer. We have always had problems with lights and plumbing,” Lazaro said. “The breakers keep going off because we have four window air conditioning units and the light bill comes in very   expensive every month. The plumbing has also given us problems even though I have repaired it several times.”

All of that is in the past now and Lazaro and Gloria settle into their new home and help their middle daughter, Mayra, achieve a dream of her own.

Mayra, 26, is legally blind but has overcome that adversity to study at Indian River State College. Her goal is to become a Braille teacher when she finishes her studies. Her dream is to be approved for a guide dog, something that she has been unsuccessful at previously because of the tight living conditions of the trailer. Hopefully, with the move into the Habitat house, a guide dog will soon be a reality.

 Lazaro will continue to work at Anderson Construction (as he has for the past 16 years) as a painter, while Gloria will maintain the home and care for Mayra.

In their spare time, they like to spend time at the beach and at soccer games. Their oldest daughter, Dora  Nely, is a competitive soccer player, almost making the Mexican national team for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.

We are happy to have the opportunity to become homeowners and have a better quality of life. It is very beautiful that our dreams are coming true because we have always dreamed of having a home,” Lazaro said. “What we look forward to the most in our new home is that our daughter, Mayra will have more space to move around and will not fall again on the stairs. Now she can apply and, hopefully, be approved for a guide dog. In our new home we will have a better quality life.”

Tandra Islam

Tandra Islam has lived in Martin County for the past 10 years, moving here from Dhaka, Bangladesh. She currently works during the day for the Martin County School District as a pre-kindergarten ESE teacher. In the afternoons, Tandra works at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County 10-year old and up students.

She currently lives with her mother and two children, Safqaat, 6 and Tanjila, 10 in a two-bedroom apartment. When she purchases her Habitat home, she will be the first member of her family to own her own home.

When Tandra is not working, she and her family attend the Islamic Center of Palm Beach mosque in West Palm Beach. Both of her children enjoy playing soccer and they like to spend their spare time at the YMCA roller skating and doing gymnastics.

One of Tandra’s colleagues at Port Salerno Elementary told her about the Habitat for Humanity of Martin County homebuyer program. When she first applied to be a homebuyer in April 2010 she was told she would have to clean up some financial issues before she could proceed. Three years later she returned and has continued through the process.

“I actually started working on my credit in order to get it to be looking good and have been able to pay    everything on time,” she said. “Now, I am very focused on all of my bills.”

That focus has led Tandra and her children to the doorstep of their own home. A home which she hopes will provide stability for her children as they move through the school system. Not that they need that much help with their studies, Tanjila was the youngest student at the District Spelling Bee and finished fourth overall.

For her part, Tandra will spend the first few months in her home finishing the tests that will lead to her teaching certificate.

“My main hope is to be a great Habitat for Humanity homeowners and I hope to build a better life for myself and for my kids,” Tandra said.

Courtney Burkhardt was born in Queens, New York. She started elementary school in New York, but moved with her mother to South Florida, where she hoped to find a more affordable cost of living and better schools. They found Martin County and fell in love with Stuart and have lived here for 17 years.

Courtney is a full time mom, living with her two children in a small apartment in South Stuart. Her son Harlon, is six and in kindergarten at Seawind Elementary School. Her daughter Haylen, is four and in preschool at Gertrude Walden Childcare Center.

Courtney works as a bookkeeper for a small impact window and door company located in Stuart. She has been with the company for three years. Prior to this she worked eight years for Ruby Tuesday in Palm City. She continues to pursue a degree in social work.

She and her family are members of Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Palm City.

For hobbies, the family prefers to be outdoors and especially near the water. They spend their summer weekends at the pool or the beach. Harlon does judo and plays T-ball while Haylen loves gymnastics.

Courtney heard about the Habitat for Humanity Homeownership Program through Daniel Boring, a Habitat employee. She researched what Daniel told her, found out about other families that Habitat had helped and talked with her children’s grandmother to ask her advice. She was surprised to find that her children’s grandmother had obtained her home through the Habitat Homeownership Program.

She knew that as her children grew they would need more living space and, with rent prices climbing, her options were limited. After looking into the program and hearing about other successful Habitat homeowners she was willing to take all the necessary steps to try to get a home for her family.  She felt this might solve many of her problems and be a perfect fit for her. Courtney filled out the application to see what would happen and months later, she was approved for a home.

Courtney wants to give back to her community for all that she has received by volunteering her services and teaching her children the importance of hard work and how it can help them achieve their personal goals.

Courtney says, “I feel very grateful to be approved for a home. It means that I can give my children a sense of stability and a home big enough to grow up in and to make many wonderful memories. For myself, it means having a sense of independence and something I can call my own. I am looking forward to a time when we won’t have to move anymore. Our home will be something to build on and my children will finally have a place they can call home.”

Rommel Lopez Gutierrez and Gabriela Loredo are moving into their new three bedroom Habitat for Humanity home. They are very excited to be homeowners and will have a safe and secure place to raise their children, Joseph Lopez Loredo, 7, and Coralie Lopez Loredo, 2. They cannot wait to have the key to their new home in their hands.

Rommel arrived in Martin County in 1999, hoping to provide a more stable life for himself and his parents.  Gabriela moved here in 2004, as her parents felt Martin County would provide her with a better life and that she would have many more opportunities here. Gabriela and her parents moved into the St. Lucie Mobile Village in Indiantown which happened to be where Rommel lived. They became neighbors, saw their relationship flourish and married in 2008.

After they married Rommel and Gabriela moved to an apartment in Stuart, but the rent became too           expensive and they bought a trailer at the St. Lucie Mobile Village. Rommel has works as a painter for Premium   Painters for the past four years and Gabriela has worked in the cafeteria at Warfield Elementary School for three years.

Rommel and Gabriela are members of Holy Cross Catholic Church in Indiantown. They have been busy working and raising a family and, once they are settled in their new home, Gabriela hopes to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity of Martin County to mentor other families who will be moving into Carter Park. She sees this as a way to give back for all that has been done for her family. She also feels that this will build friendships in her new community.

When Gabriela and Rommel have free time they like to spend it together. They go to the park or the movies and spend time with their parents.

They heard about the Habitat for Humanity of Martin County housing program from a friend. She told them how great the program was and the importance of investing in their family’s future.

When construction began on their home Rommel and Gabriela began to believe that this was actually going to happen for them and they were thrilled. They have enjoyed meeting the volunteers and staff that have made this miracle of homeownership come true. They will be forever grateful and want to give back in return for what they have received.

Elias and Ana Morales Mazariegos are originally from Tacanaza San Marco, Guatemala. Elias moved to the United States for employment in 1990 and settled in Indiantown. He made frequent trips back to Tacanaza San Marco to visit family. During one of his trips back to his hometown he met Ana Morales and they were married in 2000. Elias returned to the United States and began the paperwork to bring Ana to the US.
 

By the time Ana was granted permission in 2013 to come to the US she and Elias had three children. Yaquelin was born in 2002, Mairlena was born in 2004 and Elias Jr. in 2012. It was a joyous family reunion when Elias’s family was finally granted permission to join him in the US.
 

For the past three years Elias has worked for the Grassroots Corporation of the Palm Beaches as a driver/landscape worker. He has been involved in landscaping since he moved to the USA.  Ana is a homemaker and keeps busy taking care of the children. Elias’s long work hours put her in charge of the home and children most of the time.
 

The family belongs to Holy Cross Catholic Church and volunteers to visit and pray with parishioners that are sick. It was here that they saw a presentation done about the Habitat for Humanity Homeowner Program.

The family is very excited and happy to be together after living apart for so many years. Becoming homeowners is a dream comes true. All of Elias’s hard work and planning to bring his family together has paid off with this new home. Elias and Ana know that owning their own home will be a big responsibility, but one that is well worth it. They are thankful for the wonderful Habitat volunteers that have helped them in many ways to build their home. Now they will have a beautiful, permanent place to raise their children and give them the opportunity to grow up happy, healthy and successful. 

Carmen Dominguez was born in Boston, Massachusetts thirty seven years ago. She moved to Stuart when she was one year old and then to Indiantown when she was six.  She graduated in 1996 from South Fork High School.

Carmen has worked for Rines IGA Market in Indiantown for 19 years. She is a cashier, supervisor and works at the service desk. Mr. and Mrs. Harde are her Habitat home sponsors and have been supporters of Habitat for Humanity for many years.

Her family lives in Martin County, but she is the first to look forward to owning her own home. She lives with her two children Alberto, 17, and Lizandra, 14. Both of her children are outstanding students. They have been involved in the National Junior Honor Society and Student Council. Lizandra received an award for outstanding volunteer from Indiantown Middle School and Alberto is interested in going to college to study digital design.

They are members of Holy Cross Catholic Church where Carmen donates many volunteer hours teaching the first communion and confirmation classes. She also helps with Christmas food and toy drive.

Carmen found out about the Habitat for Humanity program when Sonia Snyder, Habitat’s Family Service Director, dropped off flyers at Rines Market. She contacted Habitat to see if she could qualify and after completing the qualification process she will soon be walking through the front door of her new home.

Owning her own home has been a longtime dream that Carmen didn’t think would ever come true. She has longed for more space and a permanent location for her children, something that belongs to them. Alberto and Lizandra are excited about their home and the added space of a bedroom for each. Something they can call their own. They have all enjoyed helping with the building of the home and can’t wait to move in.

Abraham and Maria Perez each came to the United States with their parents from different cities in Mexico. They call Indiantown there hometown because they have lived there for over 20 years.

On March 22, 2007 Abraham and Maria married and they have four children, Diana 13, J.R. 8, Luis 6, and Leonardo 5. Diana attends Indiantown Middle School. Her siblings attend Warfield Elementary where Diana volunteers in the extended day program.

Maria has worked for the Martin County School District in Indiantown for nine years. For the last five years she has worked for the Parent Resource Center as a member of the support staff. Abraham has worked for Terracon Landscaping Services for the past four years.

Abraham and Maria have extended family in Indiantown. Her sister lives in a Habitat home that will be out her back door and three houses down and her mother and father live very close to Carter Park. The family likes to get together for cookouts and trips to the beach. They are members of Indiantown Holy Cross Catholic Church.

Maria and a coworker volunteer for the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. They act as mentors for girls who face adversity. They support their little sisters with whatever their needs are.

Maria and Marcos say “Having volunteers to help build our home is such a warm feeling to know there are still people who are willing to lend a hand to other even for people they do not know. Our family feels blessed to have a home built with kindness and we are very happy to have a house to call our home.  THANK YOU to all who made it possible”.

Andres and Maria Torres are both from Zacatecas, Mexico.  In 1996, Andres became a U.S. resident and lived in Texas with his parents. He often went to Mexico on vacation. In May 2000, Andres and Maria got married in Mexico but shortly after Joseline was born, Andres moved to the U.S to work and support his family.

 Maria had a very complicated pregnancy, delivery and postpartum. Joseline almost died. She no longer wanted to live apart from Andres so, in 2002 Maria, Andres and Joseline moved to Stuart, Two years later Maria was pregnant with Jennifer and diagnosed with diabetes. Five years later she became pregnant with their daughter, Andrea, and again had a complicated pregnancy.

Andres works for the Lucas Marine Company where he uses his carpentry skills to build various marine projects. Maria does not have a job, but stays extremely busy with their three daughters and school courses in citizenship, ESOL and GED

The Torres have three daughters; Josaline ,14, Jennifer 12 and Andrea, 7. Andrea is in first grade at JD Parker, Joseline and Jennifer attend Stuart Middle School and play in the school band. Josaline plays clarinet and Jennifer plays the French horn. The girls are avid readers and love to go to the library. Their parents say they always have a book to read.

Andres loves mechanics and enjoys working on cars in his spare time. Maria likes to garden. They like to take family bike rides and the girls like to play volleyball. They attend church at St Joseph’s, where they are members.

Andres often works six days a week so the whole family has had to pull together to gather the sweat equity hours needed for their Habitat home. Maria has become a very successful ReStore volunteer and the employees love it when she comes by to work. The girls are contributing sweat equity hours by doing well in school and having good grades.  They loved the fact that Habitat credits each one of them 2 hours for every “A” they have in their school report and 1 hour for every “B”. It motivates them to continue doing well at school and makes them feel that they are indirectly helping with the construction of their home too, which makes them very proud.

Andres says that qualifying for a Habitat home is like a dream come true. The dream of one day providing a home for his family seemed impossible to achieve. Now that they are here it means so much to him in many ways. Andres says that owning their own home means he can finally provide his family with safety, security, love and hope, which is why he came to the United States twenty years ago.

The family is grateful for all the help they have received from volunteers and the Habitat staff.

Chenelle Weaver is a Martin County native and has lived in Hobe Sound for thirty one years. She has a one-year-old son, Alijah Levi, who she says is the reason she fights so hard and work so much.  Her goal is to create a positive and structured environment for him.
 

She works for Sandy Pines Residential Treatment Center and really loves her job helping with the patients. She is currently in nursing school at Keiser University and hopes to continue working in psychiatric care helping children and adolescents.

Chenelle’s father, Daniel. Weaver Sr. is the pastor of Faith Temple Church of God in Indiantown where Chenelle sings in the choir. She has two brothers that are pastors.  David Weaver at Stuart Church of God and Raymond Weaver who works with her father.

She planned to model herself after her mother, who she greatly admires. Her mother’s life seemed so perfect. She was a homeowner at a young age, married to the same man for a million years, and never had to work or raise children alone. When Chenelle found out she was expecting her first child she was overwhelmed with joy, thinking that her life would be like her mothers. However, things did not work that way at all. She found herself alone with a six month old son, paying rent, utilities, car payment, insurance, and everything else. She felt like giving up, but then her older sister reminded her about the Habitat for Humanity program and encouraged her to inquire to see if she might qualify.
 

She gave it a try, but was initially rejected. She cried when she was informed that she did not meet the requirements. She left feeling defeated, but then she received a phone call that allowed her to know that God had not forgotten her. Mrs. Sonia Snyder, Family Service Director, introduced her to the Habitat for Humanity of Martin County Homeownership Incubator Lease Purchase Program. This program is designed for potential buyers who need a little more time to get ready for a home purchase. It allows prospective buyers to start the homeownership process while taking the time needed to save the money and/or work on minor to moderate credit issues.  She accepted.

Chenelle says this journey of becoming a homeowner has taught her so much. Before this experience she was unaware of the strength she possessed. Now she can say that with the help and guidance of her WEAVER family, HFHMC family, Mrs. Snyder, Gail Griffith, her mentor and the volunteers who helped to refurbish her home, she is stronger than she has ever been in her life and is finding balance daily.

She wonders how she can thank everyone for the many things they have done for her. She feels the voices of a million angels could not express her gratitude.

Sophie moved to Martin County from Thetford Mines, Quebec when she was 5 years old. Her mother was offered a job here so the family decided to move. She has lived in Martin County for 20 years and is a South Fork High School graduate.

Sophie has been a single parent since January 2013 and is raising her 2 children, Thierry Dimanche Jr., 6, and Melodie Dimanche, 2, by herself. Her parents live close by and are wonderful support for her.

For the last 2 years she has worked at the Dunbar Child Care Center in Hobe Sound. Although she enjoys her work she plans to attend college in the future. She hasn’t decided in what direction that might lead her. Right now she has just been focusing on getting into her Habitat Home.

She is a member of Saint Christopher’s Catholic Church in Hobe Sound.

She likes to spend her free time with her children going to the park, attending attractions for children and working arts and craft projects with them.

Sophie heard about Habitat for Humanity from the people she works with. It sounded interesting to her so she called Habitat to get more information. Since then she has been working to fulfill all the qualifications necessary to become a homeowner.

She feels so blessed because she always feared that she couldn’t find a suitable home for her children and herself, but Habitat has made it possible for them to live in a decent home. They are excited to have their own place. She feels that this is all so surreal and too good to be true. Sophie is truly thankful for this opportunity she has been given and it gives her hope for the future and the reassurance that with goals and hard work good things come.

Marvella Santoyo is a Martin County native. She graduated from South Fork High School, attended IRSC where she attained her Associates Degree and went on to FAU to get a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Services. She presently volunteers for Castle, a nonprofit organization that works to prevent child abuse and neglect through education and awareness. Serving people in need is her focus.

Marcos Santoyo came to Martin County fourteen years ago from Colima, Mexico. He moved in with his brother and sister-in-law. His goal was to get a job and pay for the medicine his mother needed for her medical condition. He works as a painter for Blue Ocean Builders.

Marcos and Marvella met at her quinceañeras (15^th birthday celebration). Marcos was a chambelane (an escort) and it was love at first sight. Her parents were very strict so there was no dating. He could come by the house and they could sit on the porch. He never gave up and followed all her father’s courting rules and in 2005 they were married. They will celebrate their 10^th anniversary in November.

They have two children, Yosselin 8 and Marcos Jr. 4. As a family, they like to go to the movies, play soccer, fish, picnic and swim at the beach. They belong to Holy Cross Catholic Church.

Norma Garcia, a Carter Park Habitat home owner, told them about Habitat and suggested they try to get a home. They also learned about Habitat from flyers that were distributed.

Marvella and Marcos feel very blessed to have this opportunity and believe that without the Habitat program they probably would not have had the chance to become homeowners. They find it unbelievable that they will soon be walking through the doors to their new home.

Luis and Norma were born in the same little town and met when they were teenagers. They have been married for 20 years. They moved from Mexico to Seattle, Washington in August, 1994 and worked as laborers. In November 1995 they moved to Indiantown, FL to do the same type of work.

They have three children, Luis Fernando is 18 and he is taking classes at IRSC to become a Radiologist. Cristian is 14 and is in the 9^th grade at South Fork High School. He would like to become a detective when he grows up. Katia is 7, she is in the first grade, goes to Warfield Elementary School, would like to be either a teacher or a nurse.

Luis has two jobs. He has worked for Sunlight Saddle Club since 2009 as a Horse Groomer and also works at Treasure Coast Stables in the same position. Norma is taking English classes at the Adult Learning Center.

The Garcia family are members of Holy Cross Catholic Church. They like to spend time together going to the park for walks, out to eat and to the beach.  Luis Fernando and Christian love sports and like to play soccer and basketball. They also like to go fishing.

They learned about how to become a Habitat homeowner at a presentation at Head Start by the Habitat Family Services Director. They thought that the Habitat program could be for a great fit for them and applied.

Luis and Norma say that they are very happy that a program like Habitat exists to help moderate to low income families like them become homeowners. Without this program they could not afford to own a home. They value and appreciate all the hard work the volunteers did to help them build their home. It has really touched their hearts to see how the volunteers were not only willing to spend their time to help them but, also how much dedication and commitment they gave to their work. It did not matter how hard the work was or how much they sweat doing it, they still had smiles on their faces. This makes the Garcia’s feel grateful and special. They would like to thank the Habitat staff for all their guidance, help and dedication as well as to all the Habitat volunteers who one way or another helped them through the whole homeownership process. They believe that all the volunteers and staff have made a difference in their lives now and in the future.

Ponciano and Maria Del Carmen met in Mexico when they were kids. They became friends and when they were 18 and 21 years old they started to date. They have been married for 22 years and have three children:  Maria 17, Eduardo 14 and Fabiola 12. 

Twenty years ago Ponciano came to the USA by himself to work as a laborer. Since he moved to USA he would go back to Mexico to see his family at least twice a year. Ponciano moved to Martin County from California six years ago and has worked as a carpenter for Zachry Industrial for the past five years.

In 1999, he started the process with immigration to bring his family to the United States.   While the application was in process in immigration, Ponciano changed his address and forgot to inform immigration of his move.  The paper work was lost and he had to start all over again in 2008. Finally, in 2012, he received the approval from immigration and he was able to bring his family to the United States.

Maria, Eduardo and Fabiola started school on August 15, 2012.  Maria now is in the 10^th grade at South Fork High School, Eduardo is in 8^th grade at Indiantown Middle School, and Fabiola is in the 5^th grade at Warfield Elementary School. Ponciano and Ma Del Carmen are making sure their children have an education that will help them become successful in their life.

They have been members of Holy Cross Catholic Church since 2008. Maria is involved in the youth program at the church and they love to go to church together as a family.  In their free time they enjoy being together fishing and having picnics.

They heard about the Habitat for Humanity program from Tanya Molina, a Habitat for Humanity homeowner and strong advocate for Habitat. She was familiar with the small, two bedroom apartment they were renting. One day she knocked at the door and told them they needed to apply for a Habitat home that would be a better fit for their family. She explained to them how the program worked and provided them with the contact information to apply.

Now they are about to accomplish a goal they thought was out of their reach; becoming homeowners. They are very proud to have achieved this goal and are grateful that a program like Habitat exists.  They are thankful for all the guidance and help they received from of all the volunteers and Habitat staff, without their help they could never have become homeowners. They feel that becoming a homeowner gives them the peace of mind that they can now provide a safe and secure place for their family to call home. Their children are thrilled to finally have their own rooms and their privacy. They are all excited that their prayers of owning a place they can call home have been answered.

Florensia Torres was born in Dallas, Texas. Twenty five years ago her family moved to Martin County when she was 7 years old. Florensia went to Port Salerno Elementary School and Martin County High School.

Florensia is a VPK Teacher at Pebblestone Academy in Stuart. She has been with the school for eleven years. She is a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Stuart.

She married and had three children; Mario 16, Becky 14 and Bella 6.  Unfortunately, her marriage did not last and six years ago she became a single mother raising her children. The divorce affected her personal finances and shattered her credit, leaving her with large debts to pay on her own.  

In 2008, a friend of her mother’s recommended that she go to Habitat for Humanity to see if she could qualify for a home. She applied but due to her financial issues she could not qualify and was advised by Habitat to re-apply once she cleared up all her credit issues.

 Since 2008, Florensia has been working to pay off her debt so she could give her children a better future. She thought that as a single parent she would never get her debt paid off, but she persevered for her children’s sake,  and little by little,  paid off every penny and solved or her credit issues. She reapplied for a Habitat home in 2012 and was pre-approved. In May, 2013 she received the news she had been waiting and working for the last six years to hear; Habitat had an available property to build her home and gave her a final approval.

 In Florensia’s words, “I have come a long way as a single parent trying to form a better life for my children. I have learned much over these years as I persevered and that is to never think negatively. Remain positive and keep your eyes on your goal and you will achieve it.”

Florensia would like to thank the Habitat for Humanity staff, all the volunteers, her mentor and all those who have made this dream come true for her and her family. Without the Habitat for Humanity program she would never have been able to have a home for her family.

Socorro López Gaspar and Julia Bartolome Domingo were born in Guatemala, Central America. Socorro has been in the USA since 1983 and Julia since 1995. Socorro and Julia met in Guatemala. They moved from Arizona to Florida to work as laborers in Indiantown in 1996. Their son, Adolfo Gaspar, 10, was born in Martin County.

Julia is the first one in her family to become a homeowner and Socorro is going to be the second of four siblings to own his own home.

Socorro has worked as a driver for Lopez Lawn Maintenance since 2007, a business owned by his brother. Julia sews boat seats for RDC Manufacturing since 2004.

The family is a member of the St. Joseph Catholic Church. They are very involved in their church and help with activities and events. The family likes to go to the movies, the library and love to go fishing. Adolfo loves to read and spend time with his parents. He is in the 4^th grade at Port Salerno Elementary school and dreams of becoming a policeman when he grows up. 

Socorro and Julia say, “We are ecstatic that finally we are going to live as a family by ourselves. We will no longer be sharing a home and space with other people. We are going to have a new home of our own and we will be able, little by little, to decorate it in our own style and make our own family memories. Adolfo is very happy that he is going to have a home where he can bring his friends and have a room for himself where he can play and have a quiet space to do his homework. We would like to thank Habitat for Humanity and their staff for giving us the opportunity to become Habitat Homeowners. We thank God for bringing us the Habitat volunteers that took the time to help us and the donors that contributed the funds necessary to build our home. Habitat, its staff and volunteers, are now part of our family and our hearts. We will forever be grateful for what they have done for us”.

Josefina Flores has lived in Martin County for 24 years, coming to the United States when she was just 3 years old.  She attended South Fork High School and has been a Health Assistant for the past 4 years at Warfield Elementary School, where her 5 year old daughter, Jolianna Flores, will be attending Kindergarten. 

Collecting butterflies is Josefina’s hobby. She started collecting when she was 17 and now has quite a large assortment. She also enjoys fishing with her daughter and her brothers.

Josefina attends Indian River State College where she is pursuing an associate’s degree nursing and hopes to complete her degree by next year.

Josefina’s mother owns her own home, but Josefina is the first of her siblings to have a home of their own. Her mother and a family friend told her about Habitat for Humanity. The first time she inquired about getting a Habitat home she did not meet the necessary criteria to qualify and was advised of what she needed to do to qualify.  She really wanted a home so she began working to meet the qualifications to become a Habitat homeowner.

In Josefina’s words, “Becoming a Habitat homeowner is granting my maximum wish”. It means everything to me and my family. If only my father could see now what he has motivated me to do for myself and my family.  My mother has been very supportive in the efforts I have made to get my own home and I really feel that my parents deserve the credit for this because they raised me to be a responsible person. I cannot thank Habitat for Humanity, the staff and all the volunteers enough for giving me this grand opportunity of homeownership.”

 She graduated from South Fork High School and has been pursuing advanced education ever since. She obtained an Associate’s Degree from IRSC in Early Childhood Education in 2011.

 That same year she continued her education by attending Florida Gulf Coast University in St. Petersburg Department of Social Work and graduated with her Family Development Credential. But she didn’t stop there; she is now enrolled in the Bachelor’s Degree program at IRSC in Human Services.

Regina has three sons, Antonio 16, Anquone 8 and Anqualin 4. Her free time is spent helping with homework and attending various sporting practices and events with her boys. She loves taking the boys to the movies and spending quality time together; making memories with her sons is what is most important to her. She and her boys are very proud to be active members of Mount Zion Missionary Institutional Baptist Church.

Regina works at the East Coast Migrant Head Start Project as the Family Service Coordinator.  She also speaks some Spanish, which helps her communicate with the families. Regina enjoys working with the families helping them to become advocates for themselves and their children.

Regina found out about Habitat through two of our homeowners Kimika Jackson and Janet Rosado years ago. Janet encouraged her to complete the application process.

She is excited about becoming a Habitat partner family and becoming a homeowner. She is ecstatic to be taking part in helping to build her home and the home of others as well as becoming a lifetime partner with all the volunteers and staff of Habitat.

Becoming a homeowner is absolutely a dream come true. It means everything to her and her three boys to have a place called HOME.  It means stability, a safe space and new beginnings for her family.  It will be their safe haven and a place to enjoy each other and build lifetime memories together.

Regina believes the love a mother has for her sons is unconditional. She would like to give special thanks to Sonia Snyder for her constant motivation and encouragement on times when she felt a little overwhelmed and wanted just to give up due to her busy schedule at home, school and work.

Beauford Williams spent his boyhood in Ocala, FL. In 1995 he came to Stuart for a visit and while he was here he found employment and decided to stay.  Teresa Williams grew up in Fort Pierce and in 1998 she also came to Stuart to visit friends and decided to stay.

Teresa and Beauford met, fell in love and married in 2004. Between them they have six grown children, 5 boys and 1 girl.

Beauford worked for Cassidy Ice for 15 years until he injured his back while on the job. The injury required surgery, but after the operation he was unable to return to work. Teresa has worked as a sorter/bagger for Stuart Hometown Cleaners since 2012.

They are members of St. Matthews Baptist Church in Fort Pierce where Teresa has been a member for 50 years.

Beauford and Teresa had a common goal. They wanted a home of their own and they have worked towards this for ten years. Their friend Sherry Puertas and Teresa’s brother, Terrance Hayward, Habitat homeowners, referred them to Habitat.   They were able to go through the application process and be approved for a home. They are overwhelmed with the idea that they finally made it and will be Habitat homeowners.

Beauford and his boys helped to build the homes of two Habitat families to gather the required 300 hours of sweat equity. Despite his back injury, Beauford found things he could do at the construction site. He wants to thank all the people who made them feel welcome. That meant a lot to him. He found working on the job site a wonderful experience.

They feel that Habitat has done more than build their home. They have learned so much from the volunteers who worked at the construction site with them, the Habitat homeowner education classes and their mentor Gary Godin. Now they have a good understanding of how to budget their money, maintain good credit, take care of their home and be savvy shoppers. All this new knowledge makes them feel confident that they will become successful homeowners and that they are on their way to a better life. 

Nancy Cleare is coming home! She grew up in East Stuart on Bahama Street and now she is moving into a Habitat for Humanity home located there. She is excited to be moving back to the old neighborhood where she grew up.

Nancy comes from a large family of seven boys and six girls. She is the 9^th child. At age 15 she left home to live on her own, renting a one room apartment where she cooked her food on a hot plate. She had a job working at a flower nursery, but circumstances forced her to move back home and live with her mother.

Several years later she moved to an apartment in the housing authority. She married and had four daughters.  They are all grown now and living on their own.

Although she moved numerous times through the years, she always remained in the East Stuart neighborhood. She is a lifelong member of Saint Paul AME where she sings in the choir. In 2002 Nancy’s husband passed away.

Nancy has been employed in nutrition services for 14 years. Her first position in 1990 was as a baker for the Martin County School System. She left there and took a position with Martin Memorial Hospital Nutrition Services Department where she still remains. She loves to work and she wants to keep going for as long as she can.

Janice Delancy Mack, a Habitat for Humanity homeowner, told her about Habitat and recommended that she try to qualify for a home of her own. She took Janice’s advice and was approved for a home.

Nancy says, “Lord Jesus this is the best thing in my life and I never figured it would be for me. I would like to express my sincere thanks and deepest appreciation to all the volunteers who one way or another helped me to become a homeowner.  Thank you for all your hard work and caring. Words cannot express how grateful I am for you sacrifice. I am overjoyed at the lengths volunteers went to help me without expecting anything in return. Becoming a homeowner is giving me a sense of accomplishment. I will forever be grateful and indebted to you all. May God bless you for your generous acts of kindness.”

Nicolas and Juana Felipe were both born in Guatemala.  Nicolas was living and working in Okeechobee prior to moving to Indiantown in 1993. In 1985 Juana came from Guatemala and settled in Indiantown. They didn’t meet until they worked together in Indiantown.

They have four children. Their oldest, Irma, 21 years old and has a new baby girl. She works as a housekeeper in Admirals Cove.  Rogelio is 18 years old and will start school at IRSC this year to become a pharmacist. Natalia is 7 years old and is in the first grade at Warfield Elementary School and Maria, the baby, is 2 years old.

Nicolas has worked in the maintenance department at Admiral’s Cove Golf Club since 2006. Juana has worked as an Ironer at United Linen Services since 2009.

They learned about Habitat many years ago but never thought they could qualify for a home. A friend of Juana’s gave her Habitat for Humanity of Martin County’s contact information so they could apply. Nicolas will be the first of 10 siblings and Juana will be the first of 6 siblings to own their own home.

“We are very happy Habitat for Humanity gave us the opportunity to become homeowners. One of our most important goals is to make sure our children have an opportunity to go to school and to have a better future. Owning a home will help us achieve these goals because we can give our children a place of their own and they now can see that all our hard work has been rewarded. Finally we are becoming homeowners!

Our children are very happy to have their own rooms. They will finally have a quiet place to do their homework and are thrilled they will be able to paint and decorate their rooms the way they like.

We would like to thank all the volunteers for helping us build our home and we are thankful that God put them in our lives. We will never be able to repay them for all they have done, but we will always be thankful for the help they have given us.”

Samika Jackson has lived all of her life in Indiantown surrounded by many family members. She has four sisters and one brother. She is very close to her aunts and grandparents.  She has three daughters Bernisha 18, Burnat 17 and Ja’Nae 5. The two older girls attend South Fork High School and Ja’Nae attends Warfield Elementary.

Samika has been a Service Representative for Sunoco for six years.  When she is not working her family is her priority. They like spending time together going to the movies or out to eat.

A friend working for Louis Dreyfus Citrus picked up a flyer advertising “How to Become a Habitat Homeowner” and suggested that she might try to qualify for a home. It has taken her two years to complete the process and be approved for a home. She has been chosen to receive the 2013 Women Build Home and her home will be the third built in Indiantown’s Carter Park. 

Samika will be the first in her family to own a home of her own.  “A home brings a family stability and helps build a stable foundation. An opportunity to become a homeowner is a blessing for a single mom like me, who could never afford to buy a house without the Habitat home ownership program.” Samika says.

Samika looks forward to meeting the volunteers who will help build her house. She finds it remarkable that women that have never met her are willing to give freely of their time and labor to help her and her family and she is very appreciative.

Jose and Rosaura Mondragon were both born in Michoacán, Mexico.  They moved to Indiantown, 20 years ago. Jose has worked for the Loxahatchee Club as an Equipment Operator since 1994 and Rosaura is a homemaker. They have three children, Eric, 19 and Diana, 18, both attend South Fork High School and Gemma, 13, is in 7^th grade at Indiantown Middle School.

Rosaura first learned about Habitat though a Latin show called “Christina.” When she told her husband he did not believe that by doing 300 hours of sweat equity families could become homeowners.  Then one of the Partner Families Eddie Cabrera, told them he was having a home built and gave them the contact information. .

They are very happy to become Habitat homeowners; all their hard work has paid off. They loved the enthusiasm of the volunteers who helped them build their home.  They would like to thank them all for volunteering their time to help people in need achieve their dream of having a home of their own. Volunteers do this from their heart and God say helping others is very important.

Rosaura is the first one in her family to become a homeowner. They attend the Santa Cruz Catholic Church in Indiantown.

Home ownership is a dream come true and knowing their children are going to feel safer and have their own space makes them feel grateful to Habitat for Humanity and everyone who helped them in many different ways.

Juan Francisco Sanchez Jr. was born in Piedra Negras, Mexico, but has lived in the United States for 26 years. Breanda was born and raised in Clewiston, Florida and live there for 24 years until she moved to Martin County.

In 2002 Juan and Brenda decided to move to Indiantown to make a change in their lives and to be near Brenda’s relatives. Juan worked in constructions as a heavy equipment operator for several years and now works as a truck driver. Brenda stays at home to care for their five children. Neveah age 11, Aracely age 10, Juan III age 9, Jerius age 6, and Jasiah age 4. The school age children attend Warfield Elementary School in Indiantown and the youngest child stays at home with their mother.

Janet Rosado, a Habitat homeowner, recommended that the Sanchez family apply for a Habitat home of their own. They are the first members of their families to become homeowners. As a child Juan moved often and never got the feeling of really belonging to a community he could call home. He is very thankful for the opportunity and stability the Carter Park development will provide for his family.

The Sanchezes are very close family and they enjoy spending quality time together. They like bicycle riding, playing with their pets, going to the beach, family dinners, using the trampling, picnics and grilling out with family and friends. Most important to this closely family is showing love and support for one another. They say the children are happy with anything that is done for them.

They are very thankful to all who have joined in to make their dream of building their new home come true and they would like to give a special thanks to Sonia Snyder for never giving up or doubting their dream of owning a home would become reality.

Judy Hernandez was born in Stuart, Florida and has lived here her entire life. She attended Martin County High School and graduated in 2006.

After graduation she attended IRSC for Cosmetology and has worked at the Hair Cuttery in the Treasure Coast Mall since completing her education. She is very interested in criminal law and continues her education at IRSC.

Justina, Judy’s daughter, is in second grade. She loves art and music and is very anxious to have a place of her own. She looks forward to peace and quiet because where she lives now it is sometimes very noisy. She is happy that she and her mother will have their own home.  Judy is very happy that she can do this for her daughter because she feels that apartment living is not sufficient for a child.

Judy and Justina are members of St. Joseph Church. Justina likes to attend religious classes on Saturday and is happiest when her mother is involved in the class with her.

Judy is motivated, goal-oriented and focused on achieving success.  She needs to be in order to keep up with her busy schedule balancing a job, raising a daughter and continuing her education.

 In Judy’s words, “Becoming a Habitat homeowner makes me feel very grateful and appreciative. From the bottom of my heart I want to give a special thanks to all the dedicated and caring people who work and volunteer for Habitat.  I am amazed that there are so many people who are willing to help others and want to make a difference. Without your help I would not be where I am today. I also speak on behalf of my daughter who loved to drive by the house every day while it was under construction so she could see the progress. We are glad that you decided to take time out of your life to help us become homeowners because without your help we would never have done it on our own.  Even though becoming a homeowner is a great responsibility, it is also a privilege that should not be taken for granted. Your actions and generosity will never be forgotten. Thank you!”

Shameeka Dixon is the recipient of the 2011 Women Build home in Hobe Sound.

Shameeka is a hardworking mother of two twin boys, Jermari and Jerbari. She has worked as a clerk at the Martin County Tax Collector’s office since July 2007 and works part time at Publix. She is also pursuing a degree in Elementary Education from the University of Phoenix. Although she has a busy schedule, Shameeka worked diligently to complete her 300 hours of sweat equity.

Shameeka has lived in Hobe Sound for more than 22 years. Her mother owns a home in Hobe Sound and she will be the first of her siblings to own a home. Shameeka heard about Habitat for Humanity through another Habitat homeowner. "Owning a home means everything to me. I’ll be setting up a great foundation for my children and they’ll have a place to call home,” says Shameeka. "It’s also a great achievement for me to reach one of my life-long goals."