Home is the key to connection
Cynthia, Valdemar and their sons — 15-year-old Valdemar III, known as “Val,” and 14-year-old Logan — love challenging their neighbors to a game of pickleball. On Sundays, the families meet at a park near their Habitat for Humanity homes to play, laugh and connect. Throughout the week, they watch out for each other, whether it’s picking up a package when the other family is away or borrowing a cup of sugar.
It’s a life that Cynthia, a part-time recreation aide, and Valdemar, who works in the information technology field, always dreamed of — having a home in a tight-knit community where their children can play and grow.
“Community is important because this is where we want to be for the rest of our lives. This is our forever home,” Cynthia says.
Finding affordability with Habitat
With two growing boys, Cynthia and Valdemar were quickly running out of space. Each year, their apartment’s rent increased despite mold issues and needed repairs that were slow to be fixed. The couple searched for a home of their own but struggled to find anything in their budget.
“Before finding out about Habitat we really couldn’t afford a home,” Cynthia says. “It felt like everything was way above our price range.”
The course of their homeownership journey changed when Valdemar spotted an ad for a Habitat homeownership information session. The couple attended, and they left the meeting hopeful. That hope turned into pure joy after applying for a Habitat mortgage and learning they were approved.
Neighbors to count on
While working on the build site of their townhome community, Cynthia and Valdemar met other future Habitat homeowners who shared their passion for service. The couple even co-founded a neighborhood association with two other Habitat homeowners who are now their good friends — and pickleball opponents.
Sounds of music and joy
Cynthia and Valdemar say that having a safe and affordable home in a loving community has led to an abundance of blessings. But far and away the best part has been watching Val and Logan thrive.
“They have their own space, and I think their self-esteem has gone up tremendously,” Cynthia says. “Their grades have gone up. They have been practicing more of their sports; they both like baseball and basketball. And they both love the violin, and I love hearing them play.”
