Habitat Family: Small world connections

Kathleen is a grandmother who works graveyard shifts in the Amazon accounting department. She lives with her daughter, Barbara, and spends her days caring for her two adorable and energetic grandchildren. They were living in an apartment until the rent increased, pricing Kathleen and her family out. Kathleen’s other daughter, Krystal, suggested they explore Habitat homeownership 

“I told my mom about Habitat when she was in the apartment. She was like ‘I can’t live in apartments forever; I can’t afford it.’ I told her to just apply, and she finally did,” Krystal recalled. 

Kathleen met the requirements of the Habitat Homeownership Program and was accepted. 

Barbara began the family’s sweat equity hours, spending three days a week on the construction site. That’s where she met Marcia. 

“The first time I met her, I didn’t know who she was. We had volunteered together four weeks in a row,” Barbara said. 

Marcia and Barbara had been working on a Habitat renovation site wiring light switches and painting. During their lunch break, they started talking about holiday plans. 

“I was going to Spokane, so I was going to be gone,” Marcia said. 

“I was like, ‘Wait, you’re from Spokane? Do you know the Hixsons?’” said Barbara. “And she was like, ‘Well, I’m a Hixson!’” 

The two quickly realized their family trees were connected through a great-grandmother, Ada Mae Hixson. They both recalled a pink family house built in the 1800s where their great-great-uncle Harvey lived.  

“It was right into a cliff along the highway, Highway 395, and when the state decided to widen it, the highway would’ve gone right through their front yard,” Marcia said. “So, they moved that house a mile down the road.” 

While she doesn’t expect to meet any more new family members, Marcia hopes to stay active in the Habitat volunteering community because she enjoys making connections and learning new skills. 

“It’s been so fun meeting both volunteers as well as people working on their sweat equity hours,” Marcia said.  

Barbara also hopes to continue volunteering with Habitat. She is looking forward to learning more skills and even has some home-improvement projects in mind. 

“I know how to change a light switch now,” Barbara said. “My niece wants me to change the guest room light to put in a fan.” 

Kathleen and Barabara have been living in their Habitat home for four months. When asked their favorite part about becoming homeowners, they talked about stability and affordability. 

“No more moving!” Barbara said ecstatically. 

“And no more rent increases!” Kathleen chimed in. 

Habitat homeownership provided Kathleen and her family the stability of a predictable, affordable mortgage and created amazing new connections, including their new-found relative, Marcia.