For years, Leah and her daughter shared a house with Leah’s parents. It was a loving place, filled with family, but Leah always dreamed of giving her daughter something more — a place they could truly call their own.

Eventually, Leah was able to rent a small apartment. It wasn’t much, but it was a step. Soon, she upgraded to a modest duplex. Still, her daughter would often ask the same question:
"Mom, when will we have a real home? One that’s ours?"

That dream always lived in Leah’s heart, even when the path seemed uncertain.

Then one day, everything changed with a phone call. Leah's grandmother called and told her to apply to Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity’s homeownership program. Leah applied and was placed on the waiting list. What she didn’t know then was how that one step would change everything — not just with a house, but with her life.

“Going through the homeownership program, you become a part of this amazing community,” Leah said. “Everyone is so kind, so loving, and so helpful.”

Through Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity, Leah met people who became more than just fellow homebuyers. They became friends — a support system. “It was so nice having other women who knew exactly what you were going through, because they were going through it too.”

Today, Leah and her daughter finally have the home they always dreamed of. A place filled with memories yet to be made, walls built with care, and a foundation rooted in love, not just from their own hands, but from the hearts of an entire community.