Monique and Jesse made a goal that they would buy a home of their own to offer a better life for their daughter and keep a promise to their late son. Living in an apartment was not ideal.

“It’s tough growing up in an apartment complex,” Jesse said. “You don’t have a yard.”

The Blair couple had taken steps to work on their credit for several years when Jesse’s coworker suggested Habitat for Humanity of Omaha. They applied with the goal of purchasing one of the houses in the West Valley development under construction along 24th Street in Blair.

While they had made headway on their own, the Home Journey program pushed them to the next level. The program offers financial education, affordable mortgage loans and community resources to help hardworking people buy homes and build a lasting foundation for future generations.

“It is very intimidating trying to buy a house without Habitat,” Monique said. “But then you go through the classes. Even though they don’t promise you a home, they let you know that it is possible. If you just take these steps and you fix your credit, you do all that stuff, it is possible.”

In May, Monique, who works as a cook at the Washington County Jail, and Jesse, who works as a construction superintendent, moved into their new three-bedroom home with their daughter Jessa.

“She’s now got a backyard, she has her own space, she’s got a basement. She’s got all that stuff,” Monique said. “We get to do everything we’ve always talked about.”

While the family was overjoyed to move into their home, they did so with heavy hearts as Jesse’s son, Joey, died in 2021 before his dream of moving from the apartment could be realized.

“It was always my goal to get a home because he wanted to get out of the apartment,” Jesse said. “I didn’t think it would be attainable with our situation. But through prayer, some good fortune and not giving up, it was. I’m really happy and I’m sure he’s smiling down on us.”