Longtime married couple Mike and Janice grew up in Seattle and began dating in high school. They live in Kent, where they have been in their home since 1976. They have two children, a son and a daughter. Their son currently lives at home with them, and their daughter and her husband live close by.
Throughout their working years, Mike worked as a welder. He also enjoyed hunting, a lifelong interest, and spent much of his free time outdoors. Today, he enjoys growing vegetables in their garden, raising chickens, and spending time outside.
Janice, who has been diagnosed with MS, is wheelchair bound, which means that important improvements were needed to make their home to be more accessible for her. Although they had long been aware of Habitat for Humanity and remembered Jimmy Carter’s involvement with the organization, they did not know they could receive assistance themselves. Their case manager connected them with Habitat’s repair program.
During their repair project, Habitat SKKC completed several improvements to their home, including installing new flooring, replacing round door handles with lever handles, completing trim work in the bedroom, and installing grab bars in the shower. The team also provided Mike and Janice with information about other programs that might be able to assist them with future repair needs.
The recently completed repairs have already made a difference in their daily lives. Mike explained that standard door handles can be difficult to use because he has arthritis and Janice is in a wheelchair. The new door handles are easier for them to operate. The new flooring has also improved Janice’s mobility throughout the home. Mike noted that the lift used to move Janice from bed now glides smoothly across the floor, making daily caregiving easier.
They expressed appreciation for the Habitat team, noting that staff pointed out additional issues, offered guidance on future assistance, and connected them with resources for further repairs. They felt supported throughout the process and were grateful not only for the completed work but also for the information and encouragement they received.
Looking ahead, they hope to stay connected with Habitat and would welcome the opportunity to work with the organization again if future needs arise. The repairs have improved both their physical comfort and peace of mind, and they expect the changes to continue benefiting their quality of life.
This project was made possible by the generous support of the 2026 Lowe’s Repair Grant.
Deana has lived through many challenges, but one of the most stressful was watching her home slowly deteriorate while she struggled to find help. An active leak in her roof allowed water to pour into her living room, and despite applying through a city program for low-income homeowners, months passed without a solution. Eventually, she learned that no contractor had accepted the job and her paperwork had been forwarded to Habitat SKKC.
That referral changed everything. When Habitat became involved, Deana immediately felt supported. Habitat SKKC staff visited her home and assured her that the paperwork she had already completed would be sufficient.
Like her struggles to find help with her home, Deana’s life is a history of resilience. Originally from Oklahoma, she worked as a sheet metal worker and was able to transfer her job to Washington when her mother was diagnosed with cancer. Deana and her children moved so she could spend time with her mother during her final weeks. Deana eventually settled in Federal Way and remained in the home she shared with her ex-husband, though after he left it became difficult to maintain.
Deana is proud of her children and the lives they have built. Following Deana’s advice to pursue a trade, her daughter became an electrician, worked in the field for many years, and eventually became a teacher at the apprenticeship hall. Her son, after overcoming medical difficulties earlier in life, found stable employment in aircraft manufacturing and maintenance. Deana’s greatest hope was that her children would never have to endure the hardships she had faced. Both of her children are now married, and Deana is the proud grandmother of a four-year-old grandson.
Now retired, caring for others remains central to Deana’s life. She looks after her 85-year-old aunt, who recently lost her husband, and she regularly assists a neighbor suffering from serious health issues. She adds, “I take care of people; it’s what I do.”
As a person who has devoted her life to caring for others, Deana was happy to feel cared for by the Habitat SKKC repair team. The roof replacement was completed in less than a week, a remarkable turnaround after a long period of uncertainty. In addition to replacing the roof, Habitat later helped remove two massive maple trees and trimmed another oak tree whose falling branches had been damaging her home. The trees stood nearly eighty feet tall, and Deana described them as “monsters” that constantly threatened her roof. Having them removed brought an enormous sense of relief.
The repairs to her home have dramatically improved Deana’s sense of comfort and security. She explains, “I no longer have water leaking into my living room because of the roof they put on. And I no longer worry myself sick about limbs falling onto my roof because the tree has been taken down now. Habitat has been my salvation.”
Every home has a story, and as Habitat SKKC celebrates our 40th anniversary in 2026, we’re excited to share the stories that have shaped the past four decades. Throughout the year, we’ll be highlighting legacy family stories from across our history — stories of partnership, resilience, and hope that remind us why this work matters.
Jackie B. has turned her Habitat home into the hub of her community. Whether she is hosting family, friends, or the occasional foster dog, her house has been “packed from day one.” Despite the hardships she has faced in her life, she maintains a positive attitude and stays focused on what matters to her most: Caring for others.
Jackie was born and raised in the Seattle–Tacoma area. She has always been a curious and handy person. Before she started kindergarten, her father had her rebuilding car motors, teaching her how to read mechanical instructions at a young age. Jackie was raised in a family that loved muscle cars and racing. Her parents and extended family raced cars and motorcycles. She is one of four girls, and her father chose her to teach mechanical and hands-on skills.
Before becoming a homeowner, single mom Jackie lived in a one-bedroom apartment, where she converted the den into a bedroom for her three daughters. At the time, she was working two jobs: full-time at an auto auction and detailing repossessed motorhomes on the weekends. At the auto auction, she worked in many roles, including title clerk and switchboard operator. She always worked around vehicles, but the auto auction was the best job she ever had.
She learned about Habitat for Humanity after paying off debt from her first marriage and being prequalified to buy a home on her own. After completing the application process, she was accepted into the program and received the first Habitat home built in the city of Renton. It was one of two single-story homes built on nearby lots.
While the house was being built, Jackie worked full time during the week and still worked weekends, but she spent Saturdays volunteering on the build. Many of her coworkers volunteered as well. During construction, she helped dig the crawlspace, sewer, and power lines; tied rebar; laid floor joists; and installed insulation. She learned extensive construction skills through the process. Being involved in building the house gave her a deep understanding of the structure and pride in the home.
The move into her new home included a dedication ceremony that was attended by the mayor of Renton, local reporters, and students from Lindbergh High School who helped design the house with their teacher. Jackie explains, “They helped work on the house and drew up the blueprints with their teacher. I guess at the time, this was the only teacher that had worked with his class like this. They did blueprints for both houses, they were submitted to the City, and they got to follow it along through the whole process.”
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When she moved into the house, her youngest daughter Chelsea had just started kindergarten, and her two older daughters, Stephanie and Bree, were in middle school. Her first year in the house was a big adjustment after living in a small apartment while working and raising her daughters.
The house allowed her daughters to grow up in a stable neighborhood where they could put down roots and experience a strong sense of community, something that would have been difficult in an apartment setting. She says, “They got to grow up in the neighborhood. They got to ride their bikes up and down the street and play with the neighbors. It’s the kind of thing that you don’t have if you’re in an environment where your neighbors are changing all the time.”
Her daughters remain close as adults. Her eldest daughter and her husband moved to Las Vegas for work. Her middle daughter lives in Enumclaw with her husband and young daughter. Chelsea now lives with her boyfriend, but previously she and her daughter Lily lived in the house when Lily was one month old. Jackie’s legacy of homeownership extended to a third generation.
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Jackie’s loves her living room, which faces the street, because it allows her to interact with her neighbors. She adds, “I get to see them right out the front window. I get to see everybody walking by. I’ve watched all the neighborhood kids go from grade school to grown up.”
She often hosts holidays and gatherings and enjoys bringing neighbors together in her home. Over the years, she has built strong relationships within the community. She remains close to the Habitat home nearby and has welcomed new families as they moved into it.
She plans to stay in the house for the long-term and to add a ramp to the front of the house if needed. She has completed many repairs herself over the years, including repairing fencing and replacing fence posts, relying on skills learned growing up in a family where fixing things yourself was expected.
If she were to offer advice to new Habitat homeowners, she would encourage them to reach out for help more often than she did. She described herself as “stubborn but resilient” and has survived multiple major health events and numerous chronic conditions. Despite these challenges, she remains active and appreciative of life. She is also grateful for her neighbors’ support during her health challenges. One neighbor, who has lived in the neighborhood since the 1960s, hand carved a cane for her that was adorned with painted flowers. It’s an example of the many ways neighbors show up for each other, and a reminder to Jackie that kindness comes back to those who give it.
Dan, a 78-year-old army veteran who has lived in his Kittitas home for nearly 30 years, has survived the Vietnam War, personal tragedies, and even a tornado touchdown. Despite the adversity he has faced, he hasn’t lost his positive outlook on life. When his home needed repairs, the Habitat SKKC Repair Team was happy to help serve a veteran who dedicated his life in service to his country.
Dan grew up in North Carolina. When his parents divorced, he relocated to Idaho with his mother after she remarried. He grew up on a small horse ranch with his mother and stepfather until his stepfather died in a tragic accident while working on his car. After that, Dan and his mom moved to Oregon. His mother later remarried again to a truck driver connected to Ellensburg, Washington, and Dan eventually ended up moving to the area.
When he turned 18, Dan enlisted in the military on December 29, 1966. He went in under the buddy system with a childhood friend. The military buddy system pairs enlisted soldiers with a partner for support, training, and safety, and they can remain partnered throughout their service.
Dan served for two years, including during the Tet Offensive in 1968. During that time, the best friend he enrolled with was killed. Dan had to escort his body home and speak with his friend’s family, a difficult experience. He was given 90 days to return to service to keep his rank, and so he re-enlisted and went back, volunteering again for Vietnam. During his time in service, he was also stationed in Alaska and Germany and was a Sergeant E5 when he left the military.
Around 1973, while waiting for orders at Fort Knox, Kentucky with his wife and their 18-month-old son, the family was caught in a F5 tornado. The tornado destroyed houses, put them in the hospital, and severely injured his wife, who broke her femur and hip. Dan himself was injured in his eye. A captain had found his infant son, miraculously safe, in a field after the storm. When they returned later, there was nothing left of the house except the concrete steps.
After that difficult period, he and his wife divorced. He returned to Ellensburg after leaving the military for the second time. Once out of the military, Dan worked various odd jobs, including at local Twin City Foods and Anderson Hay and Grain. Eventually, at 65, he retired.
In 1998, he had a big stroke of luck when he bought a lottery ticket and won a small amount of money. On his father’s advice, he used that money to pay off his home. Paying off his home gave him stability, and he has lived there ever since.
He now has a girlfriend named Sharon, and they have been together for 14 years. They met at bingo and still play the game on date nights. He spends time with her regularly, helping her with appointments and visiting each other. “That’s the love of my life,” he said, beaming.
Sharon was the one to first tell him about Habitat SKKC’s repair program and suggested he reach out a few years back to have his home repainted. Since then, the team has continued to help him with repairs, including replacing his toilet and adding new pavers in his yard. Having the repair team help him stay safely in his home means he can focus on managing his finances carefully, spending time with Sharon, and finding ways to stay active.
Sometimes, when he tires of watching sports on television, he’ll turn on music and dance in his living room, what he referred to as “acting a fool.” His playful spirit keeps him youthful and helps him maintain his positive outlook. When the Habitat SKKC team worked on his home, he turned oldies on and invited everybody inside for lunch. “It’s a party in here,” he remarked.
Having Habitat SKKC in his life has improved things for him, and he appreciates everything the team has done for his home. He has lived in his home for over a quarter century, and it means a lot to him to have this stability after a life full of ups and downs. Dan said, “I just keep on trucking. You’re only as old as you feel.”
The project was fully funded by a generous grant from The Home Depot Foundation.
Future Z. was born in a small village called Mberengwa that sits at the bottom of granite mountains in Zimbabwe. She was adopted at age four by her mother, who saw where she was living and decided to move her to the city. She explained, “That was my first real lucky break in life.”
She and her mother lived in Zimbabwe until she was 13. Due to political instability and safety concerns, her family left on political asylum and came to the United States, settling in the Bay Area, where they had old family friends to welcome them. Future attended high school in Berkeley. Arriving in California during her first semester of high school was a big culture shock, particularly with language: She spoke English with a British accent and had to adopt American speech. A quick adapter to new environments, she worked through the unexpected language barrier and settled into her new life in the U.S.
She first visited Seattle around 2017 and immediately felt drawn to it. While serving in the Army, she was stationed in Oklahoma and Hawaii, but she eventually requested Washington state for her final assignment because she loved Seattle. She moved to Washington in October 2020 and was stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), where she later retired from the military. Following the passing of Future’s stepdad in 2016, her mother moved with her through Future’s different military stations and now lives with her in Seattle, where she works for the FAA. Future works at the VA hospital in inventory management and supply, the same field she worked in during her time in the military.
Outside of work, Future spends much of her time enjoying Seattle’s sports and entertainment scene. She set a goal of attending games for every major Seattle sports team and has been checking them off, including the Seahawks, Mariners, Storm, and Reign. She frequently attends concerts at Climate Pledge Arena and also enjoys comedy shows and Broadway productions.
She has two miniature schnauzers, Aries and Cairo. She adopted her first dog during a difficult period recovering from surgery to encourage herself to get out, walk, and interact with others. The experience helped her heal, and she later adopted a second dog during another recovery.
While in the military and experiencing multiple moves, Future hadn’t been rooted in a single place. Now that she has put roots down in Seattle, she looks forward to volunteering and wants to join her local Rotary Club. She said, “I’ve been a beneficiary of so many organizations that I want to give back to.”
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Prior to buying her Habitat home at Yarrow Cottages in South Park, Future lived in an apartment in Mukilteo, a location she chose when working at her previous job at Boeing. Her long commute from Mukilteo to the VA hospital in Columbia City was difficult and limiting, particularly in her ability to spend time with her dogs. After six months of searching for a home within her price range and preferred location, she found a Habitat SKKC listing on Zillow that met her needs. She was initially unsure whether she would qualify, but after applying, she qualified for a Habitat home. Receiving that news was one of the happiest moments she had experienced in a long time.
Her experience with the homebuying process was positive and supportive. She appreciated the clear communication, structured steps, and educational classes that helped her understand each part of the homebuying process.
She felt excitement about living close to work, reducing her commute, and being close to parks, a library, and the nearby Georgetown neighborhood. As they prepared to move into their new home, Future and her mother looked forward to the community that awaited them: “We’re so excited to be in a community again. We haven’t really been in a community since I retired.”
Future was especially excited about decorating, and as she planned for her move, she created a large mood board and chose paint colors for the walls for the first time since childhood. She was most excited about the kitchen, imagining a bright green and yellow space where she could cook and host friends. She enjoys making dishes such as Japanese curry and cooking recipes influenced by her mother, who is from Nigeria. She plans to host dinners and welcomes the opportunity to gather with friends and coworkers in her new home. She added, “I finally get to be in my own space where I can express myself.”
Upon moving into her house in May, she blessed the home by expressing gratitude and setting positive intentions. Now, she looks forward to creating a space filled with love, where her dogs can run and her family can feel at home. She views her home as a place where all the elements that already make up her sense of home, her mother, her dogs, and her experiences, can finally come together in one place.
