Sharnita applied to become a Habitat homeowner because she wanted to provide a better life for her children. “Having a home where my kids feel peaceful, loved and safe is the most important thing to me,” says the mother of five and U.S. Air Force veteran.

The future homeowner and her family live together in a small apartment. Space is at a premium, especially on family fun nights. “There are a lot of us,” says Sharnita, who is a disabled veteran. “When we play board games or watch a movie, we’re all stacked up on top of each other. Soon, we’ll be able to spread out and enjoy our quality time together.”

The kids can’t wait to explore their new home. The eldest, 13-year-old Demetrous, is on the football team and plans to practice his passing skills in the backyard. Sharnita looks forward to having peace of mind, knowing her children are growing up in a safe and stable neighborhood. “This home is a godsend,” she says. “It’s what we’ve been praying for.”

Sharnita makes her dreams come true

Sharnita first stood out to Fort Hood Area Habitat’s CEO, Ken Cates, when she attended an information session he facilitated at her church.

“Her eyes lit up when we talked about the purpose for sweat equity and how it gives homeowners the skills to maintain their home,” says Ken, who is a U.S. Army and U.S. Coast Guard veteran. “Sharnita is like any veteran. They see the mission, they become passionate about it, and they do whatever it takes to make it happen. That’s been her attitude since day one.”

As soon as she was approved, Sharnita hit the ground running to complete her sweat equity hours. Even ongoing health issues couldn’t stop her from achieving her dream of homeownership.

“I had a lot of health problems, but I still volunteered whether it was cleaning up or helping customers in the Habitat ReStore,” says Sharnita. “This has been a life-changing experience. I tell people that if I did it, they can too. Just don’t lose hope.”

A lifetime of service

Sharnita and her family will be living in a 16-home community planned by Fort Hood Area Habitat for both veteran and non-veteran families, which will be built out over the next three years. A grant from Wells Fargo is supporting the construction of three homes: Sharnita’s home, a home for a U.S. Army family of seven and a cottage-style house for a U.S. Army veteran.

“It’s our mission to create more affordable housing solutions across the nation, and ensuring veterans have access to decent housing is a critical part of that strategy,” says Jeff Chavannes, military community and housing programs officer at Wells Fargo and retired U.S. Army veteran. “It only makes sense to give back to those who have given so much to our country.”

Ken agrees. “When we build alongside our veteran homeowners, it’s a way of saying thank you for your sacrifice,” he says. “Homeownership provides a strong foundation for veterans to continue to make meaningful contributions to their communities, support each other, and build a better future for themselves and their families.”

A new start

“I love decorating,” Sharnita says. She has an array of color schemes saved to her phone, but she’s most excited about the possibility of a bold, blue front door.

The kids are dreaming up their own plans, too. Nine-year-old Aaliyah, the only girl in a sea of brothers, has asked for a pink-, purple- and teal-themed room with inspirational posters covering the walls. Five-year-old T’Challa has been busy hatching plans for endless games of hide and seek with his 7-year-old brother Jariyah, and 11-year-old Elijah is looking forward to discovering the best places to zip around on his scooter in the new neighborhood.

“I always had vivid dreams that we’d have a beautiful home with room for the kids to run around and play, but then I would wake up,” says Sharnita. “But I kept my faith. Now it’s our time.”

“Every night I get up and walk my house and just look around. I feel normal. I feel like I have become part of society again,” says Lisa, a 53-year-old U.S. Navy veteran. “And it’s not just the house that’s building my dignity and pride – it’s working with Habitat from the beginning.”

After leaving the military, Lisa faced several setbacks due to injuries sustained in Operation Desert Shield. She later became homeless, living in her car with her teenage son. The green Buick Century was a blessing and a target. “A car is worth gold to a homeless person because it’s shelter,” says Lisa. “I was broken into many times.”

Lisa’s car had no air conditioning or heat and only one working window. In the evenings, she often parked in well-lit parking lots, like at hospitals, to stay safe and slipped into public bathrooms to bathe. When temperatures plummeted, she sought out emergency warming centers.

While living at a transitional home for women veterans, Lisa met staff from Habitat for Humanity of Brevard County who were recruiting applicants for its Cocoa, Florida, Female Veterans Village. Having been recently approved to receive disability benefits by the Department of Veterans Affairs, she finally had the financial means to secure a home of her own and applied. “I felt like God was saying ‘Now you’re ready, and now it’s your time to get a house,’” says Lisa.

“Everybody knows Lisa, and everybody loves Lisa,” says Anna Terry, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Brevard County. “Her story shows that anyone can change their life for the better with a hand up.”

Developed by Habitat Brevard, Female Veterans Village is a community that will feature six single-family homes. While providing a safe space for women veterans to overcome housing instability, the community is also a place where residents can develop a support system amongst fellow service members. Lisa is the second resident to move into the community, following in the footsteps of Karla, a U.S. Army veteran. “The village speaks to our core mission to help create a world where everyone has a decent place to live,” says Anna.

Since 2012, The Home Depot Foundation and Habitat have helped improve the health, life and safety of more than 1,300 veterans and their families through Habitat’s Repair Corps, which funds critical repairs on the homes of veterans. Members of Team Depot, The Home Depot’s associate-led volunteer force, partner with their local Habitat organizations to build alongside veteran homeowners nationwide. Store manager Frank Branson was one of a dozen volunteers from Team Depot who helped Lisa and Karla make their homes a reality. “It was an honor for me and our associates to work alongside these amazing servicewomen to build their homes,” says Frank.

To fulfill her sweat equity requirements, Lisa volunteered in the Habitat ReStore and worked on her own home and on other builds. She met her future neighbor Karla while volunteering at one of Habitat Brevard’s build events. The two became fast friends and volunteered to work on each other’s homes.

“I met Lisa on my first day volunteering with Habitat,” says Karla. “I didn’t have a car at the time, and she ended up giving me rides. We became pretty close, so it’s really neat that now we’re forever neighbors.”

Karla entered the U.S. Army after high school and was stationed in Germany. After leaving the military, she struggled to make ends meet while raising two kids as a single parent. “The kids went to live with their father while I tried to get on my feet. I was sleeping on couches or renting rooms. Later, I lived with my daughter for a while when she bought a house,” says Karla.

Karla learned about the opportunity to join the Female Veterans Village community while living in transitional housing and began saving for her down payment. “Before Habitat, I didn’t know anything about mortgages or homeowner’s insurance, but now I do,” she says. “I learned a lot in the finance classes about paying your debt down and having an emergency fund. It’s been an all-around rewarding experience.”

“We’ve seen Karla in action, and she is a determined and hard worker,” says Ginger Blair, former director of family services at Habitat Brevard who is now with Alabama Association of Habitat Affiliates. “She sees something she wants, and she goes for it.” Now that Karla has a home of her own, she has set her sights on finishing college. “One of my goals was to get my accounting degree and start my own business,” she says. “Now, I have a firm foundation so I can do that.”