The Volunteering Page of Ahmed Mohamed

family and current housing
There is a healthy pride that comes with being a first time, first generation homeowner. As a young couple in their mid twenties who did not grow up in homes owned by their parents, Dennis and Jessica Roach are overwhelmed with gratitude to realize they will be the first in their families to purchase a home. Jessica first encountered Habitat while watching a friend document her experience in the program on social media. The couple debated applying for nearly six months, worried they would be denied because of poor credit. When their rental situation continued to deteriorate, they applied and to their delight, were approved to join the program. The Roach family has lived in their current rental home just over a year. In their previous rental, Dennis and Jessica received a 60 day notice to vacate because the landlord was not paying the taxes and was losing the property. The couple admitted to rushing into their current lease without considering if it was the best fit because they were on a deadline. They failed to notice that in addition to paying rent and all utilities, the lease also states they are financially responsible for all repairs needed in the home. A busted out window in the basement and serious plumbing issues with the washing machine causes the basement to be constantly wet. There are signs of water damage on the ceilings and rotten floorboards in several places. The kitchen overhead light is hanging from the ceiling by the wires. The bathroom in the basement is completely unusable and the upstairs shower temperature is not controlled by the faucet, but directly set by the hot water heater. If they want it cooler or warmer they have to adjust the tank. The breakfast nook area has no heat vents and becomes very cold. A similar situation in the upstairs bedrooms means they run space heaters throughout the winter. As a result, the electric bill can become excessively high. For the amount they are paying in rent, Dennis and Jessica felt it was time to instead invest in something they own. “Once we get a home, it will be a safe place for our children. They’ll go to the same schools and have a new area to explore,” explained Jessica. “I think that’s really beneficial for them growing up and knowing they have a stable home we’ve provided for them as best we can.”

a bright future
Over the past months they have been involved in the Habitat program, Dennis and Jessica have shown themselves to be hard workers dedicated to making their dream of homeownership a reality. The couple has completed numerous hours of sweat equity on worksites, at ReStore, and in House2Home education classes.  Dennis is also proud to have recently been accepted into the Carpenter’s Union where he works hard to provide financially for his family. As a father, he is proud to be able to provide a home for his family and be able to start setting money aside for his children’s futures. Soon, all their hard work will pay off and their family will have a safe, decent, affordable home of their own! We asked Dennis and Jessica what they think the moment will be like when they put the key into the door at their new home for the first time. “I’m going to jump out of my skin with excitement,” Dennis responded. “It’s going to be a new feeling that I’ve never felt before, owning a home for the first time.” His wife agreed saying, “I’m for sure going to cry! I’m going to feel relief. Calling it our home will be very exciting, so I’m looking forward to that moment a lot.