Each one of us has someone in our lives who inspires and motivates us to achieve our goals.

For Racquel, her three children are her main motivation, but she credits her late grandmother for inspiring her to become a homeowner. Before Racquel’s grandmother lost her battle to cancer in July, she was constantly encouraging her to take a leap of faith and become a homeowner. One month later, in August, Racquel took her grandmother’s advice and applied to purchase a Habitat home, despite her fear of the unknown.

“I was afraid at first, but it’s worth it. I’m happy that I finally did it,” Racquel says.

Racquel, her 14-year-old daughter, and 9-year-old twins, currently live in a three-bedroom apartment where she spends more than 30 percent of her income on rent. Additionally, overcrowding has become an issue for the family – as the kids continue to grow, the apartment seemingly shrinks in size.

After Racquel saw a family member recently buy a Habitat home, she inquired about their experience, applied, and has shown up day after day to work the required ‘sweat equity’ hours.

As Racquel would tell you, taking a risk is scary, but the reward is well worth it!

Congratulations, Racquel! We are all proud of the progress you have made.