Meet Darlene: Future Homeowner

If there’s a magnetic north in Darlene’s life, it’s her faith. It’s why, when she overheard something about Habitat for Humanity – just when her rising rent had reached panic heights – she believes God’s hand was guiding her.

She was excited when her job transferred her from Oklahoma City to Walnut Creek, eager for a fresh start “in this beautiful place, where everything’s within arm’s reach.” However, with her rent payment taking up nearly two-thirds of her income and still rising, Darlene was afraid she’d never be able to stay.

When Darlene was selected to purchase an affordable home at Esperanza Place, her outlook shifted dramatically – from a place where she says, “I can barely survive, let alone thrive or plan for my retirement,” to now feeling, “I don’t have to worry about the future anymore – because I know that I’m going to be okay.”

The financial freedom that Darlene looks forward to goes far beyond much-needed breathing room in her budget.

It means paying attention to the things that matter. “I’ve been reluctant to opt in on health insurance,” she reveals, “so I’ve been putting my health on the back burner... It’s going to put my mind at ease to know that I can actually afford the insurance and take care of my health.”

It means, also, enjoying something like “being able to put a little money aside and maybe once a year actually taking a vacation! It would have been impossible had I continued to rent in the state of California.”

I can’t thank all of you folks at Habitat for Humanity enough, for taking a huge weight off of my shoulders. You’ve turned my dream of becoming a homeowner into a reality. I will be forever grateful.

DARLENE
Future Habitat Homeowner

There are the simple joys, too. Hundreds of hours on the construction site, building her future neighborhood, has shown her she’s a fairly good painter, so she plans on painting her home after she moves in. Darlene’s dog, Toby, having his own yard. Mass transit just steps away. Exchanging recipes with neighbors she has already gotten to know: “It’s just absolutely fantastic to know that I’m going to be surrounded by warm, beautiful people.”

Most of all, it’s a sense of permanent security, which she knows is difficult to come by. “People can work hard their whole lives,” Darlene says, “and still find it impossible to get ahead.”

For Darlene, her Habitat for Humanity home is “really a blessing. It’s a miracle, in my opinion... I think we’re going to live happily ever after.”