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Community Corner

Habitat Homeowners: Johanda Willis

A single mother of three becomes a first time homebuyer.

Johanda Willis is upgrading the living environment for her family this Christmas. 

Willis graduated nursing school in May and said she wanted to find another area to live with her three children. Before moving into the home that she currently resides, Willis said she lived in a drug-infested community filled with crime.

Though she does not live in that particular neighborhood anymore, her current home is not without flaws. The cost of living is challenging for her as a single mother and she struggles with issues like as water leaking into the home.

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Willis, her two daughters and her son have already started packing up to move into their new home.

“We’ll be able to put up our first Christmas tree there,” she said. “Starting our journey as homebuyers is important to me.”

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Willis also said becoming a homebuyer allows her children see hard work and dedication pay off. On days she is not helping build the home for her required hours with Habitat for Humanity, she still visits the site every day to check on the progress even if just for a few minutes on her lunch break.

Willis's home is one of five new houses being built in U City by Habitat for Humanity.

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