Women Build Bio: Christina
Christina works hard and has a stable job with ANS Transportation, but as a single mother of three boys, money was tight and the stability that a home should bring remained out of reach. Year after year, her rent would increase, while her income remained the same. Eventually, the situation became untenable, forcing Christina and her boys to move into a local shelter. “The rent was just too high for us to afford,” she said.
Today, Christina and her boys live with relatives in a two-bedroom, one-bathroom trailer. “There are nine people living in the trailer; my three children and I share one room.” The lack of privacy is a serious challenge for her growing boys, and the crowded living conditions make studying near impossible.
Christina first applied for Habitat’s affordable homeownership program while living in the shelter. After originally being denied, she worked with Habitat counselors to improve her finances and reapply. In May of 2019, Christina was accepted into Habitat’s program and began her journey to homeownership. Through the process, Christina has enjoyed learning construction skills and believes that finance classes, like the ones offered by Habitat, should be taught in high schools. Asked what excites her about owning a home, Christina said, “I’m excited to have our own space and a place to call home. A place that I can afford for my family, where we don’t have to worry.”
Learn how you can support families like Christina’s by visiting habitat4humanity.org/womenbuild.
