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.
Transitioning from a Habitat homeowner to a Habitat employee is a journey that only one person has embarked on in our 40 years as an affiliate. Tahania overcame an unforeseen tragedy that shook her marriage but never broke her resilient spirit. After becoming enmeshed in Habitat’s homeownership program and building lasting relationships there, it wasn’t long before she felt called to help others experience the lifechanging power of owning a home.
Tahania first became a homeowner when she was 19 years old. She and her husband were high school sweethearts in Ellensburg and had been married for 13 years with three daughters, before addiction drastically changed the course of their lives. Her husband’s drug problem resulted in their divorce and sale of their family home. Tahania adds, “My whole life crashed. My husband’s life crashed.”
Picking up the pieces of her life, Tahania moved her kids into a rental in Ellensburg. The house was a garage converted into a small two-bedroom home, and she had three growing kids. Having been a stay-at-home mom while raising her daughters, she also had to quickly find a job. She became the office manager at a local coffee roaster, where she stayed for the next 15 years, and once she established job security, she turned her sights next to finding a home that could better accommodate her family.
“Something clicked in my brain: Look into Habitat to get a house. I did, and God willing, they had open applications about a half a year after I was looking into it. I turned in my application and went through the whole process. Lots and lots of people applied. I was chosen for another interview. They came and looked at my house. I prayed, crossed my fingers, and they chose me,” Tahania remembers.
The homebuying process proved to be manageable and accessible, thanks in no small part to the people who helped Tahania along the way: “The folks that were here at that time were all volunteers. After I was chosen, I really clung to them and became good friends with them. The whole process was like an extended family. To this day, I still go to dinner with the old president of the Board and construction manager.”
Tahania’s eldest daughter Danyell remembers the building process of their home fondly, recounting, “We were there watching our mom installing the floors, I leaned against the wall with a blanket and a book light and read Harry Potter to my sisters.”
Once they moved into their new three-bedroom home in 2010, Tahania and her daughters immediately felt the improvement a larger house provided them. They rescued a half German Shepherd, half Border Collie shortly after moving in and were able to host people in their home again. “It was like the old days again, when my family and friends had a place to come over to,” Tahania remembers.
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During the summer of 2021, Tahania had been home from her work at the coffee roaster due to Covid, but she knew it was time to get back to work. To help out, her daughter searched job postings and sent Tahania the link to the open Kittitas Repair Project Superintendent. Prior to her time at the coffee roaster, Tahania had worked in construction for about five years and before that, she worked for a company that refurbished and built brand new swimming pools and hot tubs. She loved the hands-on aspect of those jobs.
When she received the listing, she thought, “Are you kidding? That is my dream job.”
She immediately visited the office and introduced herself. The area director at that time came right up to her and said she remembered Tahania from her time as a homebuyer. Tahania felt automatically welcomed, both in that moment and when she was hired shortly after and began working for Habitat SKKC.
Tahania has the special ability to draw on her lived experience whenever she introduces people to Habitat’s work: “When there are people on the fence about applying for the repair program or for homeownership, and they meet me and hear my story, I think they feel like they trust me. It’s so exciting to tell them I’ve lived in my house for 15 years. You know, it’s awesome and it’s worth it.”
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Her daughters Danyell, Taylor, and Sarah were 13, 11, and nine respectively when they moved into their new home. They share fond memories of time spent together in the living room, where they had enough space to host birthday parties and family game nights. When anyone had a friend over for a sleepover, they all sat together as a family to watch movies.
Danyell said, “My favorite memories have been endless birthday parties and my mom cooking holiday dishes. She does such a great job of hosting and making everyone feel welcomed when they step through the door.”
They’re now all college graduates and remain in Ellensburg, close to Tahania. Sarah attended Central Washington University and is taking a gap year before applying to law school. Celebrating her college graduation from CWU in the front yard of their house was a fun way to commemorate her big achievement. Tahania’s other two daughters are both elementary school teachers. Danyell is also a mother to Mia, and both of them currently live with Tahania.
Tahania enjoys having three generations under one roof, adding with a smile, “My other daughters are jealous and want to move back in.”
