Habitat Omaha homeowner, Brandy.

By Lacey Studnicka, Chief Program Officer

Being able to afford a home and being able to buy one aren’t always the same thing.

Over the years, we’ve met plenty of families who could afford a monthly mortgage payment but couldn’t come up with the cash for a down payment and closing costs.

We’ve met people who had finally found good, steady jobs but were still struggling with credit problems from years earlier.

And we’ve met some families who had worked hard to save enough money but didn’t know where to even begin when it came to buying a home.

That’s when we realized that for some of our neighbors, a huge obstacle to buying a first home was getting a first mortgage.

So we thought, why not help families get mortgage-ready before they even apply?

That idea helped shape our Home Journey program.

Here’s what it looks like:

In 2025, we helped 467 families start their own personal Home Journey.

It’s your support that makes this work possible.

About This Series
Behind the Build takes you behind the scenes to see how Habitat for Humanity of Omaha is transforming homeownership throughout the Omaha area. You’ll get an exclusive look at the impact of your support and the innovative ways we’re giving hardworking families the chance to build a lasting legacy. Read the rest of the series here.