"My name is Tanya and I am the proud mother of 4 beautiful children, 3 sons, ages 1, 9, and 19 and one daughter, age 16. My family and I rent a three-bedroom townhouse in Gurnee. I am excited to dive into the New Year and start building my home.
"Right now my 9 year old son is afraid of going outside because he might get jumped. I have no control over who is in my apartment complex. In the living room, there is structural damage in the floor, which creates an unsafe area to stand. Until the damage is repaired, my children and I have to be careful where we walk. During the repairs, my family of five will need to live in a hotel room. On top of that, my family and I have asthma, but my neighbors break the rules and smoke making it hard to breathe.
"Having a house, which we will call home, means the world to us. I will finally have control over my living situation. Our home is frequently inspected by the property owner and I am excited to no longer have a landlord. Our home will be a place where my children can grow up, feel comfortable and be safe. Being a Habitat homeowner will be such a blessing. I look forward to gardening and creating memories with my children.
"Thank you Habitat for Humanity Lake County for this blessing and the opportunity for my family. Thank you to the volunteers that will help me build my house and the sponsors for your acts of kindness. God is good and I am a believer that dreams do come true."