Mary Griggs

Mary Griggs, Habitat Homeowner

“And to think it all started with one house, that became a home, for us. That was the house that Habitat built.”

Mary and her family have something very special to celebrate this year—she was able to pay off the mortgage on her Habitat home—something she says she could not have accomplished without the Habitat program.

Mary says of her experience prior to owning a Habitat home, “Before we purchased our Habitat home in Ypsilanti 18 years ago, life was harder.  We lived in a small apartment with our growing family.  My eight children had no yard to play in, and I did not feel safe letting them out of my sight.  As my children grew, we felt more and more crowded.  My family needed and craved space, a safe environment, and a home to call our own.”

Mary found out about the local Habitat for Humanity program from a friend at church.  She and her family members worked hundreds of hours of sweat equity on their home and other Habitat homes with dedicated volunteers.  Mary conveys that she was deeply touched to see so many people from the community give of their time and resources to help her family – and other families like hers – achieve the dream of owning a home.  “Our home felt right as soon as we walked in.  We did not know that all of our dreams would come to fruition here, that despite the inevitable skinned knees and broken hearts of growing up, our lives here would be happier than we’d ever known” Mary describes. “Habitat gave our family hope – practical hope—through homeownership.  Without the countless numbers of volunteers and financial supporters that made my home possible for my family, we would have had to stay in that crowded apartment, and never felt the happiness we’ve had here. Who would have known that we’d experienced the joy of coming home to a secure place that was ours.”