Markeshia and her children happily celebrate their new Habitat home in Clewiston.
For Markeshia and her family, affordable homeownership meant finally having the space to grow and peacefully enjoy life’s simple pleasures together.
After years of living in a two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment, Markeshia and her five children had outgrown the space. She dreamed of a home where each of them, including herself, could thrive.
“It’s a little hectic,” Markeshia said of her family’s living situation. “My kids deserve more. So that’s why I’m going above and beyond to make that happen.”
When she first came to Habitat for Humanity, Markeshia looked forward to something some people may rarely think twice about: having the room to comfortably cook and bake for her family.
Determined to make that dream a reality, she applied to Habitat’s Affordable Homeownership Program and was officially selected in April 2024.
Markeshia poses in her new, fully equipped kitchen.
“With a bigger space, I’ll be in a better state of mind, and I know my kids will enjoy it,” Markeshia said. “I would also have more space to enjoy doing what I love, and that’s baking and cooking. My kids love red velvet cupcakes, pound cake and sweet potato pie, so that’ll be the first thing I do.”
Markeshia completed 300 hours of sweat equity, attended more than 20 hours of homeownership education courses, and paid $2,000 in closing costs to purchase her home.
The journey required dedication. Living in Clewiston, Markeshia often drove for more than an hour each way to get to and from Habitat build sites to volunteer. However, Markeshia still viewed working toward her sweat equity hours as anything but a chore.
“It’s just an honor,” Markeshia said of working on the job sites with other future homeowners and volunteers.
Markeshia also found the education portion of her requirements to be transformative.
“I’m learning how to save,” she said while in the program. “I’ve been keeping my credit up to where it needs to be. It’s a great experience to learn more things and be more responsible.”
Markeshia ultimately increased her credit score by more than 40 points, an achievement that shows the dedication she had toward every aspect of her journey to affordable homeownership.
Markeshia celebrated her home dedication on May 22, 2026. “I’m so excited, thankful, and grateful for it all,” Markeshia shared. “I thank God for this.”
Later that day, she also closed on her home, marking the first Habitat home completed in Clewiston in over a decade.
Now, Markeshia and her family have the space they dreamed of. Whether it’s her children enjoying their own rooms or gathering in the kitchen for her homemade red velvet cupcakes and sweet potato pie, Markeshia was able to provide the home she envisioned for her family.
“It feels unreal,” Markeshia said. “Now that we have enough room, the kids can have their own space, and I can express myself in the kitchen. I’m just excited and thankful.”
