Since 1994, Bend Area Habitat has completed six Women Build homes. In honor of our 7th Women Build coming up next month (May 2nd), we checked in with Habitat Homeowner, Lorinda Harris, who purchased her Women Build home in 2011. Lorinda works at BMC and is a single mom to two great kids!
What positive changes have you experienced since moving into your Habitat home?
Being a part of the Habitat for Humanity program has been a wonderful, amazing, and truly blessed experience. I have grown to be a truly strong, single mother raising two gorgeous children with nothing but love surrounding us in our home.
Could you tell me a little bit about the impact homeownership has had on your kids?
My children always shared a room before we moved into our beautiful Women Build home. For the first time ever they have their own rooms and that's a big deal!
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Lorinda and her kids April 2015.
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My kids have grown up with other Habitat kids and they all go
to the same schools. They have so much fun going to the bus stop, seeing their friends every day, walking home and playing with all the kids in our neighborhood. My children now have a real place to call "home" that's safe, secure, and built with love.
What are you most proud of since starting t
he homeownership process?
Purchasing this home was quite a big deal for me as a first time homeowner. I went to the homeowner classes, many, many meetings, and spent many nights reading up on homeownership. This was a huge step for me, but I told myself when I was 21 that by the time I turned 30, I would own a home. When I closed on the home, I was 30, how about that? If you put your mind to it, your dreams and aspirations will come true. With hard work and support it will happen!
Could you tell me a little bit about your experience participating in and purchasing a Women Build house?
Being a part of Women Build and purchasing a Women Build home was truly an amazing experience. I really want to thank all of the amazing volunteers that made this experience possible. I'm so proud to come home, put the key in the door, and walk into a home that I built with my own two hands.
What would you tell a volunteer considering coming out for Women Build Day?
The power of women getting together to build for a wonderful cause and to support a single mother and her children is truly rewarding. We look forward to all of the women volunteers and even the guys! Come on out to show your support and to help a woman's dreams of homeownership come true!
by Julia Barry
