Who are we helping in 2026?

The Ruiz Family

Our 2026 Women Build homebuyer is a working mother named Nelly. She and her family currently live in a mobile home that poses a regular danger to their health and success. Repairs on the damaged home are constant: a leaky roof, water damage, sewer backup, and an unstable structure. The small neighborhood where her children play is marked by regular crime, including trafficking and domestic violence. “The problems are never-ending,” she recently shared with us. “It’s really toxic and unstable.”

On the cold February day when our Habitat team knocked on her door with the news that she had been accepted, the news came as a surprise. “I was already rejecting myself before I wrote the paper explaining why I needed the house,” she remembers.

Some of the first words that came out of Nelly’s mouth after learning of her selection speak to her character. “I was just sitting there, like, you know what, even if I don’t get selected and there’s somebody else that needs it more, just give it to them. We can deal with this.”

What followed her selection as a Habitat FM homebuyer has been a series of transformative experiences. Working with our volunteers and other homebuyers, Nelly has been learning meaningful skills. “Everyone communicates well and is super friendly and helpful. I have also become more educated. I learned about laying sod and appropriate nail placements for framing a house,” she’s told us.

Nelly’s time with Habitat FM has also reshaped how she sees her community. “It has given me hope. I feel support — support that I didn’t have before.”

With your help, Nelly and her family look ahead to a brighter future: “Safety and security — feeling like I have a home and it’s mine ... my family's. A place where my children can feel safe.”

Together we can build it.