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 […]

Almost two years to the day he moved in, Pamir sat in his Habitat home reflecting on the life he had built for his family over the past eight years in America.   He built it not only through working hard and finding a supportive community, but quite literally with his hands. He helped build the […]

Nearly five years ago, Tonya accomplished what she previously believed to be an impossible feat: she became a Habitat homeowner all by herself.   “This is one of the things in my life that I hold as a model for everything,” she said. “If I can get through that, everything else is trivial.”  The path […]

For Elijah, owning a home has always been a far-fetched dream, something people did decades ago but was no longer a realistic goal for those living in today’s economy. So, when he found out he’d been selected as a future homeowner at Alder Commons, Habitat’s 8-home community in Hillsboro, he almost didn’t believe it was […]

Walking into Reyna’s home in Northeast Portland, one thing about her is immediately clear: This woman loves purple.   The lavender and white ombre curtains are drawn in the summertime, keeping the living area cool, even on the third floor. A plush, tri-color blanket in violet hues is draped over the sofa, complimenting the purple […]