Family overcomes pandemic challenges to achieve dream of a home of their own.

Family overcomes pandemic challenges to achieve dream of a home of their own.

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This year’s pandemic has created havoc in most everybody’s lives. But for the families Habitat for Humanity serves, Covid-19 has been especially challenging.

The Herrington Family
Expecting their first child, Malik and Destiny Herrington qualified for our Habitat Hillsborough program in July, 2019. Malik works full-time for GoodWill Industries and is also active in the Army Reserves. They were ecstatic to receive a home site offer in early September, 2019.
Their son, Malik Jr., was born in September 2019 and their excitement grew as their home began construction later that fall. They were grateful for the opportunity knowing their home would provide a secure and stable environment to raise little MJ. Just before the Herrington’s home was finished in the spring of 2020, they were furloughed from their jobs because of Covid-19. The loss of employment had a cascading effect as the couple lost the nearly completed house because they could no longer qualify for the mortgage. Having to go on hold from completing our program, they were heartbroken as their home was sold to another eligible family. They had no choice but to move in with Destiny’s parents with their young baby until they could get back on their feet.

Malik, Destiny, baby MJ and his grandparents stand on the porch of their new Habitat home.

Ever determined to make their dream of homeownership come true, Malik and Destiny hung in there by staying in contact with Habitat’s staff and continuing to work toward completing their 375 sweat equity hours. After a few months into the pandemic, they both went back to work – which made them eligible again for a Habitat home. In late July, 2020 another home site was offered to the couple and after months of construction, hard work and never losing hope, their home is finished just in time to be the Herrington family’s best Christmas gift ever!

Now, More Than Ever
We love happy endings for stories like the Herrington family, but it is actually the beginning of a new chapter in their lives characterized by strength, stability, independence and the hope for a brighter future.  With the health and economic impact the pandemic is having throughout our society, there are many more families like the Herringtons who need decent, affordable shelter to help stabilize them so they can weather these difficult times.

During this time of economic uncertainty and nationwide health concerns, Habitat for Humanity’s mission to provide decent, affordable shelter is more critical than ever. 

We need your help to make it happen. 

We are asking you to consider a special year-end donation of $30, $50, $100, or whatever you can afford to help us meet our 2021 goals to assist more families throughout Hillsborough County. 

During this season of giving, if you have blessings to spare, we ask you to include Habitat Hillsborough on your holiday gift list.  Your tax-deductible contribution to our annual Year-end Giving Appeal will help us continue to build affordable homes in 2021 for local families like the Herringtons.  The work you help us accomplish for local families with your gift is vital, its effects far-reaching. 

Thank you for your continued support of the mission of Habitat for Humanity. We wish you continued blessings throughout the Christmas season and the coming new year.