We all reach a point where our house or garage is filled with things we no longer need, and it's time to clear them out. Selling these items online, like on Facebook Marketplace, might seem like an easy option. However, the process can come with its own set of challenges and risks. Let's dive into a few of these issues. Selling Online: Challenges to Keep in Mind Limited Customer Interaction Selling online means missing out on face-to-face contact, which can make it harder to build trust with buyers. There’s also the added concern of safety, as you don't really know who you're dealing with. It’s difficult to read a person’s intentions or character through online messages alone, and having a stranger come to your home presents its own risks. Scams Unfortunately, selling online can expose you to scammers. They may try to get your item without paying or use payment methods that turn out to be fake. These situations can lead to major headaches, including the possibility of identity theft. Ghosting One of the most frustrating parts of online selling is when buyers simply vanish. You’ve arranged a time for them to pick up the item, but they don’t show up and stop responding to your messages. It's common for buyers to change their minds or become "too busy" last minute, leaving you stuck with the item. Concerns About Product Quality Buyers shopping online are often unsure about the condition of the item. Even if your product is in great shape, they may want to inspect it before buying, which can be time-consuming for you. Tough Competition Online marketplaces are crowded with sellers. Even if you get multiple offers, you’ll need to navigate through them—deciding whether to wait for a higher bid or go with someone who can pick it up faster. Plus, there are many others selling similar items, so you might end up holding onto your unwanted stuff for longer than you’d like. Consider Donating to a Habitat ReStore Instead! Avoid the hassle of selling online by donating to a Habitat for Humanity ReStore! While you won’t earn cash for your items, the benefits are more than worth it. Convenient Locations and Pickup We have six Habitat ReStore locations in the Greater Cincinnati area, making it easy to drop off items. Don’t want to haul heavy or bulky things yourself? No problem! Our ReStores offer a pickup service for larger donations, saving you the trip. Visit our ReStore website to find a location near you. Tax Deduction Though you won’t make money from your donation, you’ll receive a tax deduction slip. The value of your items can be deducted, potentially leading to significant savings. We also provide a helpful guide to estimate the worth of common donations. Reliable Service Our ReStores guarantee a smooth donation process. If you schedule a pickup, we’ll show up—no ghosting here! Our friendly staff will always be ready to assist you when you drop off donations. Support the Environment and Local Families Donating to a ReStore helps reduce waste, keeping millions of pounds of materials out of landfills every year. Plus, your items will find new life in another home, benefiting families in need. And profits generated from the ReStores directly support Habitat’s mission to build and improve the places our neighbors call home. Last year the Habitat Greater Cincinnati ReStore net earnings equaled the direct cost of building four homes! Donating to a ReStore is a great way to give back while freeing up space in your own home. Help Stock ReStore’s Shelves When you donate, you’re contributing to an exciting and ever-changing inventory that makes the ReStores a unique place to shop for second-hand goods. In the end, donating to ReStore is easier, safer, and more rewarding than selling your items online. You can check the list of accepted items on our website , which includes appliances, furniture, building materials, and more.

"I always loved to stitch," said Cecelia, a Cincinnati-based needle artist with a heart for her community. About 30 years ago, Cecelia began to sell her cross-stitch prints in shops under her business name Heart in Hand Needleart. Since then, Cecilia has released hundreds of designs that sell in shops across the country.     Cecilia told us, "the stitching community is larger than you might think!" There are hundreds of physical cross stitch shops across the country. Throughout history, there has been a social aspect to stitching. Still today, stitchers gather together in person and online to stitch, creating community and fostering connections. As Cecilia was planning her new releases, she knew she wanted to create a philanthropic element to her new releases as an opportunity for this community to give back.    "For needleworkers, the home has always been a common motif in stitching, even going back to hundreds of years," she explained. School girls would stitch their homes into their samplers, so as long as needlework has been in existence, home has been a common, ever-present theme. "While the artwork for samplers has modernized quite a bit," she said, "we still retain that home motif as a strong symbol in many designs."   The home motif led her to think of Habitat for Humanity. Cecilia has an existing collection of needleart patterns titled Tiny Towns. They're seasonal towns that include the home design. "It's be en a very popular series for me," she says. "As I was searching for a group to partner with… I just kept seeing houses," she said. "Houses would pop into my brain, and I think it was the urges of the spirit. I finally just said one day: 'it's Habitat. I need to partner with Habitat.'"   When she released two brand new Tiny Towns designs, Cecelia decided that she would take the sales from the first month and donate them directly to Habitat Greater Cincinnati. This launched into a promotion she called "Stitch a House, Build a House." As stitchers stitched their own Tiny Town, they would know that they helped to build a home for a Habitat family in Greater Cincinnati. Through her promoting on social media and trade shows, she was able to pull a community together to get behind this promotion.   The stitching community quickly embraced Cecilia's idea and raised over $30k for Habitat Greater Cincinnati through the sale of Tiny Towns. "I'm the conduit for my generous community coming together and making this great donation," she said. "People like to know that the money they're spending is going towards something meaningful, something that makes a difference." This is proven through the strong sales of Tiny Towns.   So, besides the funds Cecelia's new designs were able to raise, she also inspired others to give, creating a ripple effect. "I heard from a lot of other shop owners, and I still am hearing from people… how excited they are that they were able to partner with Heart in Hand and Habitat for Humanity," she said. "What's been fun, too, is the shops who've done something on their own after this, and I call it the ripple effect--that other things are happening within other communities around the country because they ha ve [local] Habitats […] So they're doing something in their community to add to what we did here in Cincinnati. "For me, it was pulling the community together," Cecelia said. "I can donate some money, but pulling a community of people together and allowing them to get excited about a philanthropic effort is way more rewarding for everybody and way more powerful. Together when we work on something, we are way more powerful and way stronger than if we individually… donate a little money here or there." "If somebody else was thinking about 'how could I do something?' I say pull your community together," said Cecelia. "Talk to them about what the link is from what Habitat's doing to maybe your community. Promote the heck out of it and talk to people and try and get people involved. If you can push that word out, you can create a ripple effect that extends even beyond the focus that you put on your efforts."

Paul first moved into his Loveland home in 1965 after serving for two years in the US Army. He was in the 34th Armor at Fort Knox. "I spent the whole two years down there," Paul said. "I got lucky." Paul has been retired since 1991 from GM, where he worked as an assembler. "I loved it, you were doing something different every day." Paul grew up in the very neighborhood that he still lives in today. It's also the same neighborhood where he met his wife of 62 years. "We played softball and went swimming in the ponds," Paul said. "Next thing you know we just started dating." The two of them shared this home together until she passed away. When Paul needed a new roof and gutters on his house, he reached out to Habitat for Humanity Greater Cincinnati. Paul's repairs were funded by the Disabled Veterans National Foundation. Paul heard about our Veteran Repair Program through his sister. She also partnered with the Repair Program to replace her aging roof. His sister told him to give us a call, and Paul says he's so thankful he did. Paul says his "gutters had pinholes all the way through here and when it rained real hard, from one end to the other you could see the water just dripping out of the bottom of the gutters." He describes having leaks inside too that would come down the wall and pool in his basement. Untreated, water damage can have devastating consequences for a house and can lead to safety risks for residents. Habitat for Humanity's repair team fixed the damage, tore off his old shingles and gutters, and replaced them with new ones. "They really did a good job. It's been really good," said Paul. "I didn’t know how I was going to get a new roof and gutters put on." Paul has too many memories in his home of almost 60 years for him to leave. "Everybody came to this place," Paul said. When he and his wife moved in, their house became the hangout spot. "All the family would get together. My family would get together Christmas Day and [my wife's] family would come Christmas Eve." There were 13 children in his family and 12 in his wife's, so his family gatherings were big. Together, the two families made two softball teams and they would play against each other frequently. Paul told us they used square rocks as bases and that he has fond memories of their games. Today, he still enjoys rooting on the Cincinnati Reds baseball team. Paul remembers growing tomatoes with his wife in their yard. "I used to plant me a little garden out here," he told us, pointing to a space in his yard. He said that his wife got all of their plants from a local shop. "[The plants] grew all the way to the porch, and we had tomatoes all the way up to November." His dad loved tomatoes, so he canned tomatoes for both his and his wife's families. He told us, "You miss all that stuff once it stops." We left Paul sitting on his porch where he told us he spends a lot of his time. "I come out here and sit. They told me I should give up my coffee and I said 'ain't no way.'" Paul has no plans to leave his house or neighborhood, so he's grateful he gets to stay in his home, surrounded by memories of his wife and family. "I'll probably die right here... Habitat is really nice," said Paul. "I'm really appreciative of what they did."

Marnita has been a Habitat homeowner for almost 18 years. She now works for Cincinnati Public Schools and describes kids as her passion. She's been in her current position for 7 school years. Marnita has 3 children. "I call them my C kids," she said, since they all live in different cities starting with the letter C. Marnita's daughter lives in Columbus and does computer work. She recently moved into a home with her 5-year-old son. Marnita's youngest son is in Chicago working for the Chicago Science Museum. He's lived there for 8 years, completing both his bachelor's and master's degree. Currently, he is looking at schools to get his PhD. Marnita's middle child works as a security guard and baseball coach. He recently moved into a home in Mt Healthy. He has two children aged 10 and 4 months. When Marnita was building their future home, her children were 14, 12, and 9. And when they moved in, Marnita's mom came with them. Marnita expressed the gratitude and joy she felt being able to bring her mother with her. Her mom did all the cooking and hosted family events in their new home. Marnita's mother has since passed away, and she said she didn't know how her mom managed to juggle it all. "Wow," said Marnita. "I don't know how my mom did it. It was a blessing for me." Marnita's mom was the one who pushed her to go back to school to earn both her associate degree and eventually her bachelor's degree. Because of the stability her house provided and because she had room for her mom to live with her, she was able to go back to school. "If I didn't have this home, I wouldn't have had the degree that I have now. I wouldn’t have been able to push my kids to go to school or get the degrees they have," says Marnita. She also remembers feeling nervous when she was first handed the keys to her home. "Am I going to be able to keep it up?" Homeownership comes with a lot of responsibilities, but with the vast Habitat network and the coursework required to own a Habitat home, new homeowners are prepared to maintain and care for their home. Marnita thinks that everyone should own their own home. She recommends filling out a Habitat for Humanity application and seeing what happens. "You never know, you got to try." Marnita originally filled out a Habitat application but then decided to not turn it in; she was too nervous. But eventually she decided that she had to try. She turned it in during the next application cycle and was accepted. She is so glad that she overcame her nerves and submitted her application. "This is the way to go. I believe in Habitat." Marnita and her family celebrated their first Thanksgiving in their new forever home shortly after moving in. Marnita can look back and say that, in her adult life, she's only moved twice. And in her kids' childhood, they only moved twice. This is a fact that she is proud of. Marnita lives in Avondale, which she describes as a family-oriented area. She likes to walk around and look at all the houses, from the mansions to the new Habitat homes. "They're always building," says Marnita about the Habitat homes going up in her neighborhood. "Habitat has grown, they restore homes, I tell [people], if you want to be a homeowner, which you should--everybody should own their own home--Habitat is the way to go. And it's yours. You should have your own home." "My oldest son asked me when he moved out 'Mom, what are you going to do with this big house?' I'm like, are you serious? I'm going to live here!" Marnita's home is full of memories, and it provides her a safe, affordable place to call home. "There's no way I could afford rent in another house, or to start over. So, this is it for me." She makes sure her family knows that they always can come back. "This will always be here; your room will always be upstairs. I'm going to be here." "Having a habitat home, it fulfilled one of my dreams. Getting a college degree was another one of my dreams. And to just be healthy and be here for my kids, that's all three of my blessings answered… I'm able to provide for my home, keep a roof over my head, I have a car, I work not even a mile away. I'm able to still work with the kids in my community and to give back. That's what I'm able to do, so that's what having my home allows me to do." Marnita is also passionate about softball. She developed her own softball organization in her community. She made 5 teams and set up a schedule so the teams could play each other. Now, this league has expanded. The Cincinnati Diamonds has players ranging from 5 to 14 years old. They travel to other cities for games and tournaments. "It allows me to get the girls out of the city and allows them to see what is outside of Avondale and Cincinnati," says Marnita. "I'm doing softball in the city. I chose to continue with it to keep the girls busy." She also makes her players participate in volunteer events, instilling them with the importance of giving back. "People are giving to you, you have to give back to them," Marnita tells her players. Now that Marnita has an empty house, she misses the noise and fun that comes with having a full house. "When [my grandkids and great nephews] are here, even though they're loud, they're everywhere -- I love that. I love having kids here." Marnita used to be a foster parent, and she is thinking about going back into foster care. "The need is there, I have the space," says Marnita. "I have room to share."

The Habitat for Humanity Construction Training Program, or CTP, is a workforce development initiative designed to train and prepare individuals for careers in the construction industry. "I enjoy working with the students and watching them grow as they become more engaged with the construction trades on their path to full time employment," says Holly, the Skills Training Manager at Habitat Cincinnati for the CTP. This program is a collaboration of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati and CityLink. The CTP is a critical component of our work to build stronger communities and provide affordable housing solutions to families in need. In the last cohort, there was one standout student, and she just so happened to be the only woman in the program. Megan, a 28 year-old originally from Salt Lake City, recently graduated the program and will soon start full-time employment with Jostin Construction. She's looking forward to moving to the next level of construction. As for her time with Habitat, Megan called the CTP a "beautiful, amazing program" and shared her experience with us. "I walked into the program, didn't know anything. Now that I've graduated with the program, I have learned so much more than I knew before… The program is challenging, but challenging in a good way," said Megan. But outside of construction skills, she said patience was one of the top things she learned in the program. "I have learned to be patient with things instead of rushing things." Being the only female in the cohort of 11 presented itself to be difficult at times, but Megan realized this actually made her stand out in a good way. "I was looking up to them, but the whole time they were looking up to me," she said. "We became a family. We all would stick together. It doesn’t matter if one [person] failed, we were all there to lift each other up." Megan credits some of her success in the program and growth as a leader to having strong female construction instructors to look up to.  "With me having Felicia and Holly, I didn't feel too left out. There was actually three of us and with them being on my team, it actually made me step up to be more of leader," said Megan. Her classmates told her what a great leader she was. They watched her step up to help others learn things that they didn't understand. The support she had from her instructors and classmates made her believe in herself and realize her potential. "I believe that I am a great leader," she said. "I have learned, by me being the only woman in this class, that I am very strong-minded, very helpful, very smart, intelligent, and actually I'm good at teaching. And I didn't even know." She encourages other women to sign up for the program, knowing that they will grow in both construction and leadership skills. "Women that come into the program, you will be a better leader than what I am right now." With each cohort and each woman that signs up, female leadership in construction will continue to rise. During her time in the program, Megan also got to work on building an actual home with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati. "Walking through the doors with nothing, that was scary! How we gonna build this?" Megan questioned. But her instructors were supportive and reminded her to slow down. She said that they stressed the main key is to take your time. Be patient. Don't rush anything. "Being on this project I learned to take my time," she said. So not only did she gain hands-on construction skills, but she also learned how to work efficiently on an actual build site. "The best part of me being on the Habitat [site] physically is me getting dirty. Megan hopes that throughout her career she can continue to pour love into the things she builds. "Coming into [the Habitat build site] with nothing has made me realize that my hands have built something so peaceful, loving, joyful for the next family to come to," she said. "That's something that I like doing with the hands that God has given me. I have carpenter hands that God has blessed me to build peace, love, joy, abundance everywhere, and it gives me joy." Before Megan starts at Jostin Construction, she decided to extend her time at Habitat an additional six weeks, which is an option all CTP students have while they continue to interview for jobs. Megan has been working on finishing up a home. "I don't like starting a project and not finishing it," she said. To her, it's rewarding knowing that a family will move in and realize that she worked on their home. Megan highly recommends signing up for the CTP. "I recommend a lot of people, if you're interested in construction, to come on to the program. It's very helpful," she said. "They don't give up on you, they won't let you give up and that's the main thing about the program. They're here to bring you up and to push you to the bigger and better level that you would've never seen coming." When it comes to the next step in her career, Megan is nervous, but she knows that she can handle it. "Am I scared? Am I afraid? Yes! But out of peace, joy, and love, these people [from the CTP] have pushed me so far to where I believe I can make it this far," she said. "But now that I'm actually taking the next step from residential to commercial that's a challenge--that is a good challenge. I am happy, I am blessed, I won't complain. I know I am able to travel the joy, peace, and love that God has given me in my heart to transport to the next level in life that he has prepared for me."

Matt Heringer, Engagement Center Manager at Delta Air Lines, has been involved with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati for over 20 years. He also volunteered on behalf of Delta with local Habitats in Seattle, Atlanta, and Mexico. This year, Matt and 40 other volunteers from Delta participated in Rock the Block Covington. We are grateful to Delta and all the volunteers for their support as a Foundation Sponsor for Rock the Block in Covington. Matt says that his favorite part of volunteering at Rock the Block is working side by side with homeowners. He loves seeing the impact of beautifying and repairing homes across a neighborhood. This year, Matt's team worked with RTB homeowner, Lynette. The team was able to clear the lot next door to Lynette's home and repair her front gate that she hadn't been able to use for many years. Lynette was so proud of the work completed at Rock the Block that she gave the Mayor of Covington a tour of her yard and the repairs. Lynette has continued to spruce up her outdoor space since Rock the Block. Matt loves that "Rock the Block showcases the greatness of our Delta employees while supporting the mission of Habitat." It is the mission of Habitat that keeps Matt coming back as a volunteer year after year. "I am also so proud to carry on the Delta legacy of partnering locally with the Habitat of Humanity of Greater Cincinnati for over 20 years along with leadership from Dave Bertis, Rick Andrae, and Debbie Cowles," says Matt. "Delta employees have great memories of participating in a “6 week House Build," numerous other house and day builds, starting the 9/11 remembrance builds, and now partnering on several Rock the Blocks." Delta's mission is to connect the world, and Matt says that mission "starts with our commitment to being a strong partner to the communities where our employees live, work and serve. [...] As a company driven by purpose, giving back to our communities has been core to Delta and its culture for nearly 100 years." Thanks for your support! Learn more about corporate partnerships.

Jewel has lived in her Habitat home for six years now. She has one son, who is currently looking to find his own place, and recently got married. Personally, Jewel has moved at least 4 or 5 times before finally buying her own home through the Habitat homeownership program. These moves aren’t including all the times she had to move as a child with her mother. “[Even after two months of living here,] I was still getting that giddy feeling,” says Jewel. She was fortunate to buy her house right before her grandma passed away. To her, becoming a homeowner was extra meaningful because of her grandma, as she was the first and only person in Jewel’s family to actually own her own home. It was special that she got to share her journey to homeownership with her grandma. “There’s still a joyous feeling to say—wow! I’m a homeowner.” “I made my vision board say, ‘from here, you’re going to a house, and you want to have ownership.’” “Because you’re a homeowner, it gives you more stake, ... more interest in how the community is developing because you have interest in the things that come around,” says Jewel. This is why Jewel has become so passionate about community engagement. She has worked on many community projects from assisting with plans for a park and local revitalization projects. “Owning a home makes me want to be a part of the community more,” says Jewel. She also has been deeply involved with Habitat events in her community. Rock the Block is a Habitat event that she is very passionate about. Jewel has also attended council meetings and met with city officials to make changes in her neighborhood. One issue she felt strongly about was setting quiet hours for the train intersection near her home. She worked with a neighbor to try and get the train conductors to stop blowing the horns during night hours. Although her petitioning did not deliver the outcome she wanted, the experience taught her the importance of using your voice in your community, to advocate for the changes that you want to see. Jewel says that upon moving into her new neighborhood, it was important for her to find out “how I could be of service to the community.” Jewel is also very passionate about staying active. Her job as a Project Coordinator for the Drug and Poison Information Center at Cincinnati Children’s allows her to attend events and develop projects in the Cincinnati area. She is able to work with residents to relay important information in an easy-to-understand way. She’s also a part of her church’s choir and volleyball team. Jewel is someone who loves to connect with others. Jewel takes pride in her home. She said that owning a home taught her son an important lesson about responsibility. Coming from having landlords or parents there to fix everything or help out, Jewel thought that being in charge of her home would be overwhelming. However, she learned that she had a community of support to lean on. From Habitat employees to her partner family group to new neighbors, she found herself with a new directory of contacts she could reach out to if she ever needed guidance or help. After living in her home for six years, Jewel finally feels like she’s made the place unique. “It’s time to make it your own,” she told herself after she hit the two-year mark of living there. “I think I was inspired by my neighbors." Just from exploring the first floor, you can see how Jewel has added bright colors, pictures, backsplashes, and artwork to transform her house into her home. “I’m still elated today,” says Jewel about her home. “I like to host, to be the guide,” says Jewel. She likes to make people feel welcome in her home and prides herself on how warm and inviting her home is. She frequently hosts her church groups and church choir for gatherings and practices. Her home is her safe haven. “During the [Covid-19] Pandemic, it was great to know that I had a home to come home to," says Jewel. To future homeowners, Jewel gives this advice: get to know your neighbors and stay a part of your partner groups. To Jewel, building a support system and engaging with your community are essential parts of homeownership. Watch her full interview:

On Friday, November 10, 2023, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati [HFHGC] will host a special Veteran Build Day where veteran volunteers will come together to complete exterior home projects for a deserving veteran family. Through the Veteran Repair Program, homeowners Stanley and Shirley have been working with Habitat Greater Cincinnati for several months to improve their home. These projects include essential home repairs and accessibility modifications to ensure their safety, stability, and independence. Stanley and Shirley moved into their “forever home” 31 years ago after Stanly served in the U.S. Army as a combat photographer. The couple have built a strong community with their neighbors and local church over their three decades in the home. These critical repairs will allow the couple to remain safe in their home that they love. Six generous businesses have stepped up to support this cause by either donating or subsidizing the costs of these repairs. Total donations value nearly $20,000. These repairs encompass modifications to the entire house, making it ADA-compliant so Shirley, a wheelchair user, can safely move through her home. Additional scope of work includes replacing the broken water heater as well as fitting the home with new gutters, chimney cap, masonry repairs, and all new doors and windows. “It has been great working with Stanley and Shirley, and we are thrilled to see these much-needed repairs come to fruition,” says Megan Golike, Director of Operations at HFHGC. “We are blown away by the generosity of our partners. It is an amazing to see the community coming together to support this wonderful veteran family.” Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati is deeply grateful for the support of valued partners. Special thanks to Bouldin Builders, Embers Fireplace & Chimney, Jason Gerth Plumbing, Maksim Roofing, Stegman Landscaping, and Window World for their generosity and commitment to giving back to the community. It is through collaborative efforts like these that we can make a meaningful impact on the lives of veterans in our community. The Veteran Repair Program is just one of the many ways Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati fulfills its mission of creating and preserving affordable homeownership. By partnering with families, volunteers, and donors they create opportunities for people to build strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter. To learn more about our programs and how you can get involved please visit our website at habitatcincinnati.org.

In January of 2012, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati dedicated a newly rehabbed home in Over-the-Rhine to a hardworking mother and her daughter. Now, more than ten years later, JaQuanna, 40, and her daughter Zhyaire, 22, still call their place on Elm Street home. Their journey to homeownership started when JaQuanna opened a fortune cookie that read: you will be involved with humanitarian work. She had no idea what that meant until she drove past a Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati billboard. When she got home, she searched up Habitat and was connected with our homeownership program. JaQuanna has worked for Cincinnati Metro for 17 years. There, she works as a coach operator, clerk, and a training specialist. But her work doesn't stop there. On the weekends, JaQuanna is a wedding and event planner. Zhyaire also dabbles in multiple fields. She is the owner of a small bakery called Zeeza's Sweets, makes music, loves to dance, and is currently in school to be an esthetician. She told us that her love of baking developed in their kitchen. She says that her friends used to call her cupcake girl because of how much she baked. And, with a bonus room on their third floor, they were able to create a music room for Zhyaire to practice and create her own work. Jaquanna said, "we had plenty of space and the house provided that for us." Their home, with all its space, has been a place for them to foster their passions and careers. "I was dancing all around this house. I taught myself how to flip here," said Zhyaire. Since moving to the home, JaQuanna married her long-time partner, Kymisha. Kymisha is an urban farmer master gardener in charge of 82 gardens. She leads workshops on gardening, cooking, and healthy eating here in the community, and the whole family is often involved. JaQuanna told us that this passion started in the backyard of their Habitat Home: "The home here started her passion in the backyard with the fruits and vegetables, with her green thumb, which evolved into the community." JaQuanna and her family have seen their neighborhood grow, change, and flourish throughout the years. Over-the-Rhine is very walkable, and JaQuanna says that they all take advantage of this. Growing up, Zhyaire was able to walk to school and connect with her community. They also have direct access to the street car, which helps them save on gas and reduce their carbon footprint. "We love just being right down here," she says. From F.C. parades, workout classes at Washington Park, and events at Findlay Market, JaQuanna loves the events and liveliness of their area. "Just being in the community and right here in the heart of everything has been wonderful." JaQuanna is only the second person in her family to become a homeowner. She looks forward to passing the house down in her family. Although Zhyaire recently moved out and is planning a move to Texas for school, JaQuanna makes sure that she knows where home is. "I always tell her, you can always come back home. Go explore the world, but you can always come back home. And this is where home is." "I feel like the main goal was stability," said Zhyaire. Since moving in the house, she graduated high school and started her business. JaQuanna has gotten married and advanced in her career. "Everything that I wanted from this house as far as stability, travelling, [Zhyaire] growing up here… everything we've been able to accomplish. So, moving forward, we're just enjoying it," says JaQuanna Pre-pandemic, JaQuanna volunteered her time with Habitat. She hopes to once again get involved with Habitat, aiming to work with and inspire future homeowners. JaQuanna and her daughter look back on the Habitat homebuying process with fondness, remembering all the people that supported them and all the hard work they put in. JaQuanna hopes that more families can go through the same process. To potential sponsors, donors, and volunteers she says "please help a family out. [Owning a home] has been so great and rewarding, one of the best things that has happened to me and my family."

Habitat Homeowner since 2021 | West College Hill, Cincinnati Sade purchased her West College Hill home from Habitat in 2021. We had a chance to check in with her a year later to hear how she and her family are doing in their new home.

Mike has lived in Dayton, Kentucky his whole life. He reminisces about growing up with his seven brothers in a two-room home just down the street. From his seat in his living room, he can see the High School where he graduated. Now Mike, his wife, and their Bichon dog live in a two-story, 100-year-old home that also holds special value to the family. Mike’s parents spent the second half of their life living in the home. Once they passed away, Mike and his family moved in. “I have lots and lots of memories in this house,” says Mike. Mike, a U.S. Army veteran, reached out to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati’s Veteran Repair program when he discovered water pooling behind his walls. He worked with Habitat to repair the badly damaged roof and gutters that were causing water to enter the house. With help from the program, Mike was also able to install new handrails on the porch stairs to increase the home’s safety. Funding from The Home Depot Foundation made these repairs possible. “We were so happy about [the Veteran Repair Program]. Wow, I mean—unbelievable.” Mike says that people frequently contact him wanting to buy his home to rehab it. He says, “if we moved from here to somewhere else it's going to double the price we pay for this, you know, it's really silly. I’m going to stick it out here until I croak.” Now with the completed repairs, Mike doesn’t have to worry about having to choose between moving or living in potentially unsafe conditions. “I’ve lived in Dayton my whole life. […] It’s really nice around here. We have a very good relationship with our neighbors. We help each other out. We love it here,” says Mike.

Cincinnati, Ohio, June 13, 2023 - Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati has been awarded a Top Workplaces 2023 honor by Enquirer Media Top Workplaces. The list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage LLC. The confidential survey uniquely measures 15 culture drivers that are critical to the success of any organization: including alignment, execution, and connection, just to name a few. “Earning a Top Workplaces award is a badge of honor for companies, especially because it comes authentically from their employees,” said Eric Rubino, Energage CEO. “That's something to be proud of. In today's market, leaders must ensure they’re allowing employees to have a voice and be heard. That's paramount. Top Workplaces do this, and it pays dividends.” "To be recognized again as a Top Workplace based on employee feedback from all levels of our organization is an honor," says Erin Flynn Director of Human Resources at Habitat Greater Cincinnati. "We are incredibly proud that our team has created a workplace that people want to be part of. Continuing to cultivate a culture of inclusion and support allows us to further our mission to build strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter."