Hope is building: Habitat’s homebuilding updates from four future communities
March has arrived, and Habitat staff and volunteers have been working hard this winter on all five active construction sites. We’re excited to share the progress at each community, and what we have planned going forward this spring. Foster Commons Spring evokes images of flowers blooming, grass growing, and berries budding. Foster Commons, Habitat’s 40-home […]
Read More
Homeownership “a dream come true” for Nancy and family
Most people start off the new year writing down their goals and aspirations until the next January rolls around. But Habitat homeowner Nancy began 2024 having already accomplished her lifelong dream – buying her own home. “It’s a dream come true; I never thought in my life I would have a home,” Nancy said. “My […]
Read More
Aging in place: what does it mean and why does it matter?
What makes a house a home? To answer that question, you might ask Anna Bowlby, who has lived in her Portland home for 65 years. Her family moved in when she was 6 years old, and it was there that she and her four siblings created the childhood memories she remembers to this day. As […]
Read More
ReStore, design students, make a perfect match
Habitat ReStores, with their eclectic mix of furniture, home goods and off-the-beaten path items, are taking on a new role: The perfect hands-on classroom for interior design students. This past summer, the Habitat ReStore in Beaverton welcomed a partnership with Heritage School of Interior Design in Portland that not only gives students practical experience in […]
Read More
After a long journey, Ellen and sons find comfort and safety in their Habitat home
Ellen stands at her Ninja blender in her kitchen, preparing smoothies for herself and her sons as she does every morning. She knows pretty much everything there is to know about smoothies; various recipes are taped to the insides of her cupboards, and her freezer is filled with frozen berries and vegetables. For Ellen’s family, smoothies are a lot […]
Read More
Still in high school, Alex is introducing the mission of Habitat to a younger generation
Alex Coltman dreams of one day becoming Oregon’s first Latina senator. But first, she’s got to finish high school. At only 17 years old, Alex has already decided she is going to change this country for the better. She’s already well on her way, in fact, starting with her home community. “With people of my […]
Read More
Mirian and Eliseo eager to start fresh in a new family home
Eliseo and Mirian live in a small Hillsboro apartment with their four children ages 10, 9, 7, and 2. While they’ve been able to make it work for the past several years, the truth is that their living situation is inadequate for a family of six. To make matters worse, their rent increases every year. […]
Read More
Celebrating a new chapter of affordable homeownership in Lake Oswego
Community members, Habitat staff, and locally elected officials gathered Dec. 15 to celebrate the site kickoff of Habitat’s future 23-home community in the Lake Grove neighborhood of Lake Oswego. The construction of this community is a significant development in affordable housing for Lake Oswego. The 1.9-acre project is a collaboration between Habitat for Humanity Portland […]
Read More
A career in the trades takes hold with Habitat
Tired of working retail and warehouse gigs, Leo Ochoa began to take greater stock in the words of his father. “My dad told me, do whatever you want, whatever you like.” Leo said. “Don’t try to get a job just for the sake of making money.” What he wanted was to be hands on, working […]
Read More
Home is where Habitat is: Here’s one volunteer’s story engaging with the organization around the globe
Wherever Alex Ragland is in the world, no matter the country or time zone, he knows he can find comfort and community with Habitat for Humanity. It all started when he was in college. Alex found his school’s branch of Habitat while attending Austin College in Texas. He was already keeping busy with his fraternity […]
Read More