Maria and Grace are the first grandmother and granddaughter family to qualify and be selected for the Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County, TN program. Grace is a senior at Austin Peay State University and Maria is a Cafeteria worker at Burks Elementary School.
The pair moved from Puerto Rico in 2018, to a small one-bedroom apartment, so that Grace would have better educational opportunities.
Maria gave the single bedroom to Grace and made her sleeping quarters the living room. They prayed for a solution to their less-than-ideal living situation.
A fellow parishioner at Iglesia Rebaño Compañerismo Cristiano in Oak Grove knew of their living situation and suggested they apply with Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County.
They had a common goal of having their own space and a home to call their own, and in February Maria and Grace submitted their application and were later chosen for the program. When Maria was notified of their selection, Grace was at school. When she walked through the door later that afternoon, she was met with a homemade sign that read “Tenemos una casa”
“We have a house” both women cried tears of joy for the opportunity they had been granted.
They worked almost daily through the summer and less than three months into the program had completed more than 75% of their sweat equity hours completed, and in less than seven months celebrated groundbreaking on their forever home.
Maria speaks passionately about the family support classes and how much they have taught her about taxes, maintenance, and home ownership. Grace speaks to how the process has taught her patience and given her an opportunity to own a safe and affordable home.
