Mike is a devoted father of two daughters, ages 13 and 12. But the trailer he rents cannot protect his family. The home has no heat or air conditioning. During the winter, it freezes and during the summer, it is unbearably hot. There are significant mold issues and other unsafe conditions he does not want his girls exposed to. Therefore, Mike does not allow his daughters to come visit. He travels to them instead. Rather than being a place of refuge, Mike’s rental itself is what he is trying to protect his daughters from most.
Mike came to Habitat to rebuild his dream of being with family. In addition to his two young daughters, Mike is also a father of four grown children and a grandfather. His new Habitat home will allow him to celebrate family milestones the way they were intended – together. As Mike recently celebrated his groundbreaking ceremony, he also broke ground on a new chapter where memories are made and legacies are built in a safe, affordable home of his own.
For many of us, home represents safety, belonging, and legacy. But for so many renters in our community, their hard-earned income is being lost to a living situation that does not meet their basic needs.
Currently, 6,873 Catawba County families, or 41% of all renting households, are cost burdened. That means that every day, two out of five renting families wake up without the security of safe, affordable housing.
When housing costs are excessive, families must divert limited resources away from essentials like nutrition, health care, education, child care, and enrichment opportunities, which undermines long-term stability.
Affordable homeownership addresses this need directly. A manageable, predictable mortgage allows families to plan for the future, build financial security, and invest in their children and communities.
Every safe, affordable home that Habitat builds or repairs sparks wider change, leading to better health, education and well-being; more economic growth; and less poverty. Peace of mind and the ability to focus on what matters most – it all starts with a home.
Join us in creating a community where we all can thrive?
Your urgent gift ensures that as temperatures turn and winter approaches, more families like Mike’s can build a house – and a life – that is comfortable despite whatever the weather brings.
This content is sourced from
Catawba Valley Habitat for Humanity
. It reflects the author's views and has not been edited by our newsroom. It may have been generated using AI assistance.
