Briana is the dedicated and hard-working mother of two. Her son Atlas is six, and her daughter Aria is tevn months old. She teaches at Joshua Academy and has a catering business. She lost her mom 3 ½ years ago, which has been hard. She is thankful for her supportive father.
When she was growing up in a rough economy, her family, at one point, lost their home. It has been her goal to become a homeowner and have a stable home for her kids. She has been renting a small place, where space is a challenge and the rent continuously rises. Her daughter doesn’t have her own room, and there isn’t enough space for all the things a growing family needs.
Briana has always known about Habitat, but she had not known the details. When she first applied, she had many doubts, but as she became involved in the program, she became more confident. The process has made her reflect and pray every step of the way. Achieving the required 300 hours of sweat equity and attending the required classes is a big commitment of time, and it makes her feel guilty about the time away from her kids, but she reminds herself that it is only for a short time and that “it’s all going to be worth it.”
This is the first time she has worked on a construction project, and she has really enjoyed it. She is especially thankful for the Core Crew. She says, “I love the Core Crew. They are so sweet and funny and make the whole experience fun. There’s never been a day that I’ve dreaded getting up and working on the house.” She says that the classes have also had an impact on her. “Having never owned a home before and getting all that information has made me feel way more confident. I love learning.”
Briana is ready to finally have a place that is truly theirs. She looks forward to having a yard where her children can play and where she can have an herb garden for her catering business. Her son Atlas is especially looking forward to painting his room for the first time. She currently rents in the Tepe Park neighborhood and serves on the leadership team. She is delighted to be staying there as a homeowner.
She is so grateful to Habitat, the sponsors, the core crew, and the volunteers. She says, “I just want to thank God for putting these people in my life. It blows my mind that everyone is giving up their time to make this happen for people… It’s been such a blessing.”