Family fills home with love and good energy
When Hans and Ruthie Saucier moved into their Habitat home, the oldest of their five children was only 10. The youngest was 5. It was a full house, filled with love, energy, and hope. That was nearly 20 years ago. The children have grown up and moved out, with careers of their own now. But […]
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Larry finds serenity and security at home
Larry sits in his North Portland home, surrounded by lush, green plants. “It’s serenity here,” Larry observed. “This is peaceful.” Larry moved to Portland from Ohio as a teenager, to live with family. He grew up around Fargo Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, back when it was called Union Avenue. “Living was reasonable,” […]
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From hardship to hope: Eric’s journey to homeownership
Patience, integrity, gratitude, health, and love — these are the values that define Habitat homeowner Eric’s life. “After being where I’ve been, you’ve got to focus on the cup being half full. Because I could not have a full cup at one time,” Eric reflects with the wisdom of experience. Sitting peacefully on his couch in […]
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From homeless to homeowner: Alex’s story
Alex holds her cat in a warm, sunlight living room, surrounded by bright green plants in a clean home. These two have been through a lot together: from homeless to homeowner, and everything in between. Alex moved into her Habitat home at the start of April, but she’s already settled in. There’s not a moving […]
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Cinnamon finds the spice of life in her new Habitat home
Habitat homeowner Cinnamon has a knack for decoration. Whether she’s putting the final touches on a cake or styling an outfit, she does it all with an artist’s mind. Now she gets to put her art into decorating her very own home. “I want bright, I want different,” Cinnamon said. “Anything that comes with art, […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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. […]
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Christianna’s new home is a gathering place for family
A big part of Habitat homebuyer Christianna’s story is the idea of “surrender:” turning things over to a higher power. While applying to become a Habitat homeowner, she always returned to the mantra, “If it’s meant to be, it will be.” Well, here she is – boxes packed and ready for the next step of […]
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