Sisters Sylvia and Janie have always been close. They think fondly of their childhood sharing a bed in their childhood home in a public housing development and then living as neighbors in their Downtown Cincinnati housing complex as adults. When Sylvia was accepted into the Habitat Homeownership program, she was so excited, but also sad to be moving away from Janie. At her rental home, she was able to look out her window into Janie’s. “We always have lived by each other,” says Sylvia. “It was nice growing up with Janie.”  After a bit of convincing, the University of Cincinnati and Habitat for Humanity agreed to build another Habitat home a few houses up from Syliva’s. Janie applied for and was accepted to the Affordable Homeownership Program and was matched with the home. Three years after Sylvia purchased her home, Janie closed on her own Habitat home—the sisters became neighbors once again.   “I wanted to upgrade my kids to something better than what I had growing up,” says Janie. “I was so happy when I got [Habitat’s] call.” She was excited to finally be able to paint the walls and decorate her home and yard any way that she wanted without worrying about fines and rules. She says that one of her sons was excited about having brand new carpet — he even spent the first night they moved in sleeping on the carpet.  Sylvia’s mortgage and bills at her Habitat home were actually cheaper than what she was paying at her apartment in Downtown Cincinnati. Now, both sisters have paid off their mortgages. Sylvia is enjoying retirement and traveling with her daughter. “These are things I wouldn’t even be thinking about doing if I was in a different setting,” says Sylvia. “That was the best thing in my life that I feel like I did—was apply.”  Janie paid off her car and learned to better manage her money being a Habitat homeowner. She says living where they are now inspired her kids to aim higher. “It made him look at stuff different,” says Janie about one of her sons. He now has a job and his own apartment. “It’s making everybody grow up—just from being in this house.”  Becoming Habitat homeowners together has made them closer than ever. They check in on each other when they see their cars are not in the driveway. They borrow sugar from each other or share dinner.  Sharvee, Sylvia’s daughter, looks fondly on her time helping to build her childhood home. “It was a wonderful learning experience,” she said. She purchased her own market rate home in 2012, and credits Habitat for her home repair and maintenance skills. Sharvee is proud of her mother and aunt for being homeowners and “[breaking] the generational curses.” They were the first ones in their entire family to own homes. “My grandmother didn’t own a home to my mother and aunt owning homes — that’s stuff that we didn’t see growing up,” said Sharvee. Her mom has been such an inspiration to her. She looks up to her mom for retiring before the age of 60.  “I would tell everybody to apply for Habitat,” says Syliva. “It’s affordable. It’s nice to be able to bring your kids up in something you can call your own.”  “I don’t know what I’d do if you moved because I’m not moving!” says Sylvia to Janie.

Esther has lived in her home since 1966. When her husband passed away shortly after 9/11 in 2001, she began to struggle to keep up with home repairs.  “I got to the place where I know the house needed work, [but] I didn’t know where to go,” said Esther.  One day she was driving home and decided to stop by the Habitat for Humanity Greater Cincinnati office. She rang the doorbell and mentioned that she needed some help finding where to get home repairs. One of our Repair Coordinators, Jim, came to speak with Esther. She explained how she was treated with care and respect as Jim walked her through our Critical Repair Program application process and requirements. “He said ‘we’re going to help you,’” said Esther. “I was just so thankful.”  Esther had heard the name “Habitat for Humanity” before but she didn’t know about our Repair Program and all its services until she talked with Jim and experienced the repairs firsthand. Through our Repair Program, Esther was able to get all necessary roof repairs and brand new windows.  “Thank God they came out,” said Esther. “They put a roof on my house. I’m able to live here knowing that I’m okay, I’m safe, and the roof will not cave in.”  Esther has a goal of staying in her home until she’s ready to leave the earth. Her husband passed away in their home, and she plans on doing the same. Her home holds so many family memories that she isn’t ready to let of go just yet. She tells anyone she invites into her home to “come in and find peace.” She encourages them to “leave all the other stuff outside.”   “I hope that this will always be a house of peace. It’s a wonderful house.”  Esther’s husband served in the military, including overseas in Vietnam. As a way to give back to the veteran-connected families in our community, Habitat Greater Cincinnati hosted a 9/11 Day of Service event at Esther’s home. Volunteers assisted with small repairs and beautification projects, from gardening to painting.   Esther herself gives back to her community through her volunteer efforts with local organizations. She spends times volunteers in a Hospice Center and also works with incarcerated men.   “I’m just so grateful and thankful,” she said. “I thank God for y’all because we need more of this in the world.”

Last year over 144 women joined Women Build to fundraise and construct a home in Lower Price Hill. Together these women raised $52,193 to support the direct cost of materials to build the home. Melinda, Kirk Stenger was a key Women Build Leader who made it happen. Melinda wasn't planning to get involved with Habitat, but once she learned more about Women Build, she was hooked on the mission. "My wheels started turning immediately," she says. Melinda is passionate about inspiring others to support causes they care about, and is motivated by the collective impact that a group can make when they tap into their networks and all give together.   "It's easy for me to ask for money when I believe in a project. Fundraising might seem daunting, but it really isn't especially if you have ten of your friends giving $25 to $50. It's not a lot of money, but it really makes a difference. The collaboration among friends and supporting the community to be a better place to live in is so rewarding," says Melinda. Melinda kicked-off Women Build with a powerful and moving call to a crowded room of interested women to join the “pinky promise” —a commitment to gather friends to help support Habitat by donating and volunteering.   Next, Melinda got to work building her Women Build team. Melinda hosted a brunch before they got on site, so they could all get to know each other and build momentum. Melinda says, "It was fun building community with people that we already were friends with but who didn't overlap until women build.”   Melinda, a small business owner, says that working on a build site pushed her outside her comfort zone. “I figured, oh, it'll be something like painting, which would be easy. But then I ended up doing stuff that I didn't know I could do, like blowing insulation.” When Melinda’s team found out that a few extra tasks needed to be completed before an inspection the next day, they rallied together to complete the work, even staying an extra half hour. “It was a lot of fun," says Melinda.  “You form a bond not only with your friends but with the crew that's there because you're not alone. There's not a lot of hand holding, but there's a lot of support. So, you feel empowered, and you get to do things that you might not normally ever do. It is empowering, and one of my friends says that she feels like she can do things at home that she couldn't have done before,” says Melinda. “My team still talks about [Women Build]. Everyone is asking, when's the next one, that was so much fun?”   Learn how you can get involved with Women Build.

Rock the Block is coming back in the spring in a slightly new reimagined format. Instead of just one day, Rock the Block will be spread out over three consecutive days, with volunteer opportunities on each day.   Why this change? With three smaller days, we can assist the same number of homeowners without as much stress on staff and operations. In the past, we paused home building and critical repairs during Rock the Block and the week leading up to it. Now we can continue doing our core work even during Rock the Block.   How will my volunteer experience change?    Volunteers will still help complete exterior repair projects and home beautification projects for homeowners in a single neighborhood. Some of the volunteer opportunities will now include building Habitat homes in the same neighborhood. You will still volunteer with a group under the direction of a crew leader. We will still kick-off the day and you will still be surrounded by volunteers all excited to rock the block. Don't worry, you will still get an awesome Rock the Block shirt.  The difference is that there will be volunteer opportunities Thursday-Saturday. Instead of volunteering with 400 volunteers, you will be volunteering with 80-100 volunteers. That means less time waiting for tools, transportation, and waste removal. It will be much more efficient.  Even though there will be some differences, the main mission remains – you will be helping to build homes, communities, and hope in Greater Cincinnati.     Q&A   Can I still bring my family/kids/church group?   Yes! Rock the Block is still a family-friendly event where people can volunteer as a group.   Since RTB is now partly on weekdays, could my company volunteer together on work-time?    Absolutely! Email Kerry for more information at kerry.hendel@habitatcincinnati.org .  I work during the week. Can I still do this?   Yes, there will be volunteer opportunities on Saturday.   When is it?   Because there is less work for staff, we will be able to rock more blocks per year. In 2025, Rock the Block will be held in March, May and June.  We will announce the dates soon! Is lunch provided?   Yes! We are rethinking ways to get volunteers the best lunches possible (not PB&J!).   I have mobility issues or other disabilities, can I still volunteer?    As always, at Habitat for Humanity we have a job for everyone.  If you are not able to participate in the usual RTB tasks, you could help behind the scenes, making lunches, organizing things beforehand, cleaning up.

The Bank of America Charitable Foundation recently awarded Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati (HFHGC) a $45,000 grant as part of its broader initiative to support Ohio’s long-term sustainability by advancing economic mobility and social progress by focusing on the needs of the community. HFHGC will use the funding to continue to create affordable homeownership opportunities in Greater Cincinnati. “We partner with Bank of America build strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter said Joe Hansbauer, President and CEO of HFHGC, “This support from Bank of America allows first time homebuyers to partner with Habitat to build and buy a home that is affordable.” The grant is part of the nearly $700,00 in grants that Bank of America has provided to local nonprofits this year. HFHGC was part of Bank of America’s second round of grants in 2022. This round was focusing on economic mobility and social progress through investments in affordable housing, community revitalization, the arts and the environment. These grants are part of the Bank’s commitment to responsible growth as it works to improve the financial lives of individuals and families. Philanthropic and volunteer investments play a key role in this effort to build thriving communities. “Addressing community needs through our philanthropic investments is just one way we deploy capital to help build a more sustainable community,” said Mark Ryan, President Bank of America Cincinnati. “We’re honored to partner with nonprofit organizations like Habitat Greater Cincinnati across the Ohio Valley that are helping to advance economic and social progress, in particular for vulnerable populations.” ### About Bank of America Environmental, Social and Governance At Bank of America, we’re guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better, through the power of every connection. We’re delivering on this through responsible growth with a focus on our environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership. ESG is embedded across our eight lines of business and reflects how we help fuel the global economy, build trust and credibility, and represent a company that people want to work for, invest in and do business with. An important part of this work is forming strong partnerships with nonprofits and advocacy groups, such as community, consumer and environmental organizations, to bring together our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact. Learn more at about.bankofamerica.com, and connect with us on Twitter at @BankofAmerica.

Matt Heringer, Engagement Center Manager at Delta Air Lines, has been involved with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati for over 20 years. He also volunteered on behalf of Delta with local Habitats in Seattle, Atlanta, and Mexico. This year, Matt and 40 other volunteers from Delta participated in Rock the Block Covington. We are grateful to Delta and all the volunteers for their support as a Foundation Sponsor for Rock the Block in Covington. Matt says that his favorite part of volunteering at Rock the Block is working side by side with homeowners. He loves seeing the impact of beautifying and repairing homes across a neighborhood. This year, Matt's team worked with RTB homeowner, Lynette. The team was able to clear the lot next door to Lynette's home and repair her front gate that she hadn't been able to use for many years. Lynette was so proud of the work completed at Rock the Block that she gave the Mayor of Covington a tour of her yard and the repairs. Lynette has continued to spruce up her outdoor space since Rock the Block. Matt loves that "Rock the Block showcases the greatness of our Delta employees while supporting the mission of Habitat." It is the mission of Habitat that keeps Matt coming back as a volunteer year after year. "I am also so proud to carry on the Delta legacy of partnering locally with the Habitat of Humanity of Greater Cincinnati for over 20 years along with leadership from Dave Bertis, Rick Andrae, and Debbie Cowles," says Matt. "Delta employees have great memories of participating in a “6 week House Build," numerous other house and day builds, starting the 9/11 remembrance builds, and now partnering on several Rock the Blocks."  Delta's mission is to connect the world, and Matt says that mission "starts with our commitment to being a strong partner to the communities where our employees live, work and serve. [...] As a company driven by purpose, giving back to our communities has been core to Delta  and its culture for nearly 100 years." Thanks for your support! Learn more about corporate partnerships.

Evelyn needed repairs on her roof. She wasn't sure how she was going to get the help needed, but she knew she wasn't going to leave her home. She has lived in her home almost 60 years. "Isn't that amazing?" she asked us. She has so many family memories there with her two children and late husband. Evelyn lost her husband after 61 years of marriage to dementia. "It was really hard. We always did things together. It had been years since we had done anything to our home," she said. "There was things that needed to be done, and I felt like the roof was needing it bad."   There was a hole in her roof and water was leaking into her home, right over her woodstove. So when she found out about Habitat for Humanity Greater Cincinnati's Repair Program, she gave their number a call. "It was a very fast [process]," she said. Once she called, within weeks a Habitat Repair Coordinator was at her house to take a look at what needed to be done. Evelyn was able to get new gutters, gutter guards, and all necessary roof repairs. "I don't have to worry about the roof ever leaking. They did a tremendous job."   "I get real tender-eyed and start to cry because there's a roof up above me that I don't have to worry about anymore!" Evelyn can now safely stay in her home knowing her roof is fixed. "I won't have to leave here. You know, I'm getting to the age where I don't want to have to leave. This is home."   Evelyn spoke highly of our Repair Team saying how kind and caring they were. They took the time to get to know her and check in on her. "I can't praise Habitat for Humanity enough. It's been a joy to me. You all have been so helpful to me." Evelyn had such a wonderful experience working with our Repair Team that she now keeps our coordinator's business cards handy to give out. She's referred her friends to our program, helping them to get their own necessary roof repairs as well. "I would stand up on the roof if I could get up there and say how nice [Habitat for Humanity] has been."   Evelyn enjoys puzzles, books, and gardening. "I love flowers," she told us. She has a beautiful garden and even raises chickens in her backyard. She has 4 chickens that she calls "her girls" named Flo, Ivy, Pattycake, and Joy. Evelyn also loves being connected with her neighbors and community. "We watch out for everyone." She gives back through her love of cooking. "I cook for three church families," she said. Now that her roof repairs are complete, Evelyn can continue to do the things she loves safely in her forever home. "I am so thankful. I feel like [this] was a blessing from God. If I can tell anyone, that is the best thing that's happened in my lifetime."

We all reach a point where our house or garage is filled with things we no longer need, and it's time to clear them out. Selling these items online, like on Facebook Marketplace, might seem like an easy option. However, the process can come with its own set of challenges and risks. Let's dive into a few of these issues. Selling Online: Challenges to Keep in Mind Limited Customer Interaction Selling online means missing out on face-to-face contact, which can make it harder to build trust with buyers. There’s also the added concern of safety, as you don't really know who you're dealing with. It’s difficult to read a person’s intentions or character through online messages alone, and having a stranger come to your home presents its own risks. Scams Unfortunately, selling online can expose you to scammers. They may try to get your item without paying or use payment methods that turn out to be fake. These situations can lead to major headaches, including the possibility of identity theft. Ghosting One of the most frustrating parts of online selling is when buyers simply vanish. You’ve arranged a time for them to pick up the item, but they don’t show up and stop responding to your messages. It's common for buyers to change their minds or become "too busy" last minute, leaving you stuck with the item. Concerns About Product Quality Buyers shopping online are often unsure about the condition of the item. Even if your product is in great shape, they may want to inspect it before buying, which can be time-consuming for you. Tough Competition Online marketplaces are crowded with sellers. Even if you get multiple offers, you’ll need to navigate through them—deciding whether to wait for a higher bid or go with someone who can pick it up faster. Plus, there are many others selling similar items, so you might end up holding onto your unwanted stuff for longer than you’d like. Consider Donating to a Habitat ReStore Instead! Avoid the hassle of selling online by donating to a Habitat for Humanity ReStore! While you won’t earn cash for your items, the benefits are more than worth it. Convenient Locations and Pickup We have six Habitat ReStore locations in the Greater Cincinnati area, making it easy to drop off items. Don’t want to haul heavy or bulky things yourself? No problem! Our ReStores offer a pickup service for larger donations, saving you the trip. Visit our ReStore website to find a location near you. Tax Deduction Though you won’t make money from your donation, you’ll receive a tax deduction slip. The value of your items can be deducted, potentially leading to significant savings. We also provide a helpful guide to estimate the worth of common donations. Reliable Service Our ReStores guarantee a smooth donation process. If you schedule a pickup, we’ll show up—no ghosting here! Our friendly staff will always be ready to assist you when you drop off donations. Support the Environment and Local Families Donating to a ReStore helps reduce waste, keeping millions of pounds of materials out of landfills every year. Plus, your items will find new life in another home, benefiting families in need. And profits generated from the ReStores directly support Habitat’s mission to build and improve the places our neighbors call home. Last year the Habitat Greater Cincinnati ReStore net earnings equaled the direct cost of building four homes! Donating to a ReStore is a great way to give back while freeing up space in your own home. Help Stock ReStore’s Shelves When you donate, you’re contributing to an exciting and ever-changing inventory that makes the ReStores a unique place to shop for second-hand goods. In the end, donating to ReStore is easier, safer, and more rewarding than selling your items online. You can check the list of accepted items on our website , which includes appliances, furniture, building materials, and more.

"I always loved to stitch," said Cecelia, a Cincinnati-based needle artist with a heart for her community. About 30 years ago, Cecelia began to sell her cross-stitch prints in shops under her business name Heart in Hand Needleart. Since then, Cecilia has released hundreds of designs that sell in shops across the country.     Cecilia told us, "the stitching community is larger than you might think!" There are hundreds of physical cross stitch shops across the country. Throughout history, there has been a social aspect to stitching. Still today, stitchers gather together in person and online to stitch, creating community and fostering connections. As Cecilia was planning her new releases, she knew she wanted to create a philanthropic element to her new releases as an opportunity for this community to give back.    "For needleworkers, the home has always been a common motif in stitching, even going back to hundreds of years," she explained. School girls would stitch their homes into their samplers, so as long as needlework has been in existence, home has been a common, ever-present theme. "While the artwork for samplers has modernized quite a bit," she said, "we still retain that home motif as a strong symbol in many designs."   The home motif led her to think of Habitat for Humanity. Cecilia has an existing collection of needleart patterns titled Tiny Towns. They're seasonal towns that include the home design. "It's be en a very popular series for me," she says. "As I was searching for a group to partner with… I just kept seeing houses," she said. "Houses would pop into my brain, and I think it was the urges of the spirit. I finally just said one day: 'it's Habitat. I need to partner with Habitat.'"   When she released two brand new Tiny Towns designs, Cecelia decided that she would take the sales from the first month and donate them directly to Habitat Greater Cincinnati. This launched into a promotion she called "Stitch a House, Build a House." As stitchers stitched their own Tiny Town, they would know that they helped to build a home for a Habitat family in Greater Cincinnati. Through her promoting on social media and trade shows, she was able to pull a community together to get behind this promotion.   The stitching community quickly embraced Cecilia's idea and raised over $30k for Habitat Greater Cincinnati through the sale of Tiny Towns. "I'm the conduit for my generous community coming together and making this great donation," she said. "People like to know that the money they're spending is going towards something meaningful, something that makes a difference." This is proven through the strong sales of Tiny Towns.   So, besides the funds Cecelia's new designs were able to raise, she also inspired others to give, creating a ripple effect. "I heard from a lot of other shop owners, and I still am hearing from people… how excited they are that they were able to partner with Heart in Hand and Habitat for Humanity," she said. "What's been fun, too, is the shops who've done something on their own after this, and I call it the ripple effect--that other things are happening within other communities around the country because they ha ve [local] Habitats […] So they're doing something in their community to add to what we did here in Cincinnati. "For me, it was pulling the community together," Cecelia said. "I can donate some money, but pulling a community of people together and allowing them to get excited about a philanthropic effort is way more rewarding for everybody and way more powerful. Together when we work on something, we are way more powerful and way stronger than if we individually… donate a little money here or there." "If somebody else was thinking about 'how could I do something?' I say pull your community together," said Cecelia. "Talk to them about what the link is from what Habitat's doing to maybe your community. Promote the heck out of it and talk to people and try and get people involved. If you can push that word out, you can create a ripple effect that extends even beyond the focus that you put on your efforts."

Paul first moved into his Loveland home in 1965 after serving for two years in the US Army. He was in the 34th Armor at Fort Knox. "I spent the whole two years down there," Paul said. "I got lucky." Paul has been retired since 1991 from GM, where he worked as an assembler. "I loved it, you were doing something different every day." Paul grew up in the very neighborhood that he still lives in today. It's also the same neighborhood where he met his wife of 62 years. "We played softball and went swimming in the ponds," Paul said. "Next thing you know we just started dating." The two of them shared this home together until she passed away. When Paul needed a new roof and gutters on his house, he reached out to Habitat for Humanity Greater Cincinnati. Paul's repairs were funded by the Disabled Veterans National Foundation. Paul heard about our Veteran Repair Program through his sister. She also partnered with the Repair Program to replace her aging roof. His sister told him to give us a call, and Paul says he's so thankful he did. Paul says his "gutters had pinholes all the way through here and when it rained real hard, from one end to the other you could see the water just dripping out of the bottom of the gutters." He describes having leaks inside too that would come down the wall and pool in his basement. Untreated, water damage can have devastating consequences for a house and can lead to safety risks for residents. Habitat for Humanity's repair team fixed the damage, tore off his old shingles and gutters, and replaced them with new ones. "They really did a good job. It's been really good," said Paul. "I didn’t know how I was going to get a new roof and gutters put on." Paul has too many memories in his home of almost 60 years for him to leave. "Everybody came to this place," Paul said. When he and his wife moved in, their house became the hangout spot. "All the family would get together. My family would get together Christmas Day and [my wife's] family would come Christmas Eve." There were 13 children in his family and 12 in his wife's, so his family gatherings were big. Together, the two families made two softball teams and they would play against each other frequently. Paul told us they used square rocks as bases and that he has fond memories of their games. Today, he still enjoys rooting on the Cincinnati Reds baseball team. Paul remembers growing tomatoes with his wife in their yard. "I used to plant me a little garden out here," he told us, pointing to a space in his yard. He said that his wife got all of their plants from a local shop. "[The plants] grew all the way to the porch, and we had tomatoes all the way up to November." His dad loved tomatoes, so he canned tomatoes for both his and his wife's families. He told us, "You miss all that stuff once it stops." We left Paul sitting on his porch where he told us he spends a lot of his time. "I come out here and sit. They told me I should give up my coffee and I said 'ain't no way.'" Paul has no plans to leave his house or neighborhood, so he's grateful he gets to stay in his home, surrounded by memories of his wife and family. "I'll probably die right here... Habitat is really nice," said Paul. "I'm really appreciative of what they did."

Marnita has been a Habitat homeowner for almost 18 years. She now works for Cincinnati Public Schools and describes kids as her passion. She's been in her current position for 7 school years. Marnita has 3 children. "I call them my C kids," she said, since they all live in different cities starting with the letter C. Marnita's daughter lives in Columbus and does computer work. She recently moved into a home with her 5-year-old son. Marnita's youngest son is in Chicago working for the Chicago Science Museum. He's lived there for 8 years, completing both his bachelor's and master's degree. Currently, he is looking at schools to get his PhD. Marnita's middle child works as a security guard and baseball coach. He recently moved into a home in Mt Healthy. He has two children aged 10 and 4 months. When Marnita was building their future home, her children were 14, 12, and 9. And when they moved in, Marnita's mom came with them. Marnita expressed the gratitude and joy she felt being able to bring her mother with her. Her mom did all the cooking and hosted family events in their new home. Marnita's mother has since passed away, and she said she didn't know how her mom managed to juggle it all. "Wow," said Marnita. "I don't know how my mom did it. It was a blessing for me." Marnita's mom was the one who pushed her to go back to school to earn both her associate degree and eventually her bachelor's degree. Because of the stability her house provided and because she had room for her mom to live with her, she was able to go back to school. "If I didn't have this home, I wouldn't have had the degree that I have now. I wouldn’t have been able to push my kids to go to school or get the degrees they have," says Marnita. She also remembers feeling nervous when she was first handed the keys to her home. "Am I going to be able to keep it up?" Homeownership comes with a lot of responsibilities, but with the vast Habitat network and the coursework required to own a Habitat home, new homeowners are prepared to maintain and care for their home. Marnita thinks that everyone should own their own home. She recommends filling out a Habitat for Humanity application and seeing what happens. "You never know, you got to try." Marnita originally filled out a Habitat application but then decided to not turn it in; she was too nervous. But eventually she decided that she had to try. She turned it in during the next application cycle and was accepted. She is so glad that she overcame her nerves and submitted her application. "This is the way to go. I believe in Habitat." Marnita and her family celebrated their first Thanksgiving in their new forever home shortly after moving in. Marnita can look back and say that, in her adult life, she's only moved twice. And in her kids' childhood, they only moved twice. This is a fact that she is proud of. Marnita lives in Avondale, which she describes as a family-oriented area. She likes to walk around and look at all the houses, from the mansions to the new Habitat homes. "They're always building," says Marnita about the Habitat homes going up in her neighborhood. "Habitat has grown, they restore homes, I tell [people], if you want to be a homeowner, which you should--everybody should own their own home--Habitat is the way to go. And it's yours. You should have your own home." "My oldest son asked me when he moved out 'Mom, what are you going to do with this big house?' I'm like, are you serious? I'm going to live here!" Marnita's home is full of memories, and it provides her a safe, affordable place to call home. "There's no way I could afford rent in another house, or to start over. So, this is it for me." She makes sure her family knows that they always can come back. "This will always be here; your room will always be upstairs. I'm going to be here." "Having a habitat home, it fulfilled one of my dreams. Getting a college degree was another one of my dreams. And to just be healthy and be here for my kids, that's all three of my blessings answered… I'm able to provide for my home, keep a roof over my head, I have a car, I work not even a mile away. I'm able to still work with the kids in my community and to give back. That's what I'm able to do, so that's what having my home allows me to do." Marnita is also passionate about softball. She developed her own softball organization in her community. She made 5 teams and set up a schedule so the teams could play each other. Now, this league has expanded. The Cincinnati Diamonds has players ranging from 5 to 14 years old. They travel to other cities for games and tournaments. "It allows me to get the girls out of the city and allows them to see what is outside of Avondale and Cincinnati," says Marnita. "I'm doing softball in the city. I chose to continue with it to keep the girls busy." She also makes her players participate in volunteer events, instilling them with the importance of giving back. "People are giving to you, you have to give back to them," Marnita tells her players. Now that Marnita has an empty house, she misses the noise and fun that comes with having a full house. "When [my grandkids and great nephews] are here, even though they're loud, they're everywhere -- I love that. I love having kids here." Marnita used to be a foster parent, and she is thinking about going back into foster care. "The need is there, I have the space," says Marnita. "I have room to share."

The Habitat for Humanity Construction Training Program, or CTP, is a workforce development initiative designed to train and prepare individuals for careers in the construction industry. "I enjoy working with the students and watching them grow as they become more engaged with the construction trades on their path to full time employment," says Holly, the Skills Training Manager at Habitat Cincinnati for the CTP. This program is a collaboration of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati and CityLink. The CTP is a critical component of our work to build stronger communities and provide affordable housing solutions to families in need.  In the last cohort ,  there was one standout student, and she just so happened to be the only woman in the program. Megan, a 28 year-old originally from Salt Lake City, recently graduated the program and will soon start full-time employment with Jostin Construction. She's looking forward to moving to the next level of construction. As for her time with Habitat, Megan called the CTP a "beautiful, amazing program" and shared her experience with us. "I walked into the program, didn't know anything. Now that I've graduated with the program, I have learned so much more than I knew before… The program is challenging, but challenging in a good way," said Megan. But outside of construction skills, she said patience was one of the top things she learned in the program. "I have learned to be patient with things instead of rushing things." Being the only female in the cohort of 11 presented itself to be difficult at times, but Megan realized this actually made her stand out in a good way. "I was looking up to them, but the whole time they were looking up to me," she said. "We became a family. We all would stick together. It doesn’t matter if one [person] failed, we were all there to lift each other up." Megan credits some of her success in the program and growth as a leader to having strong female construction instructors to look up to.  "With me having Felicia and Holly, I didn't feel too left out. There was actually three of us and with them being on my team, it actually made me step up to be more of leader," said Megan. Her classmates told her what a great leader she was. They watched her step up to help others learn things that they didn't understand. The support she had from her instructors and classmates made her believe in herself and realize her potential. "I believe that I am a great leader," she said. "I have learned, by me being the only woman in this class, that I am very strong-minded, very helpful, very smart, intelligent, and actually I'm good at teaching. And I didn't even know." She encourages other women to sign up for the program, knowing that they will grow in both construction and leadership skills. "Women that come into the program, you will be a better leader than what I am right now." With each cohort and each woman that signs up, female leadership in construction will continue to rise. During her time in the program, Megan also got to work on building an actual home with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati. "Walking through the doors with nothing, that was scary! How we gonna build this?" Megan questioned. But her instructors were supportive and reminded her to slow down. She said that they stressed the main key is to take your time. Be patient. Don't rush anything. "Being on this project I learned to take my time," she said. So not only did she gain hands-on construction skills, but she also learned how to work efficiently on an actual build site. "The best part of me being on the Habitat [site] physically is me getting dirty.  Megan hopes that throughout her career she can continue to pour love into the things she builds. "Coming into [the Habitat build site] with nothing has made me realize that my hands have built something so peaceful, loving, joyful for the next family to come to," she said. "That's something that I like doing with the hands that God has given me. I have carpenter hands that God has blessed me to build peace, love, joy, abundance everywhere, and it gives me joy." Before Megan starts at Jostin Construction, she decided to extend her time at Habitat an additional six weeks, which is an option all CTP students have while they continue to interview for jobs. Megan has been working on finishing up a home. "I don't like starting a project and not finishing it," she said. To her, it's rewarding knowing that a family will move in and realize that she worked on their home. Megan highly recommends signing up for the CTP. "I recommend a lot of people, if you're interested in construction, to come on to the program. It's very helpful," she said. "They don't give up on you, they won't let you give up and that's the main thing about the program. They're here to bring you up and to push you to the bigger and better level that you would've never seen coming." When it comes to the next step in her career, Megan is nervous, but she knows that she can handle it. "Am I scared? Am I afraid? Yes! But out of peace, joy, and love, these people [from the CTP] have pushed me so far to where I believe I can make it this far," she said. "But now that I'm actually taking the next step from residential to commercial that's a challenge--that is a good challenge. I am happy, I am blessed, I won't complain. I know I am able to travel the joy, peace, and love that God has given me in my heart to transport to the next level in life that he has prepared for me."