As part of the annual Press Christmas for All campaign, we share with readers the stories of those who have received help from the program. This is one of them. 

After a tumultuous period marked by multiple moves, medical bills and a layoff, single mom “Brooke” is building a solid foundation for her 5-year-old son.

Brooke, 33, left an abusive relationship with her son’s father about two years ago. She scraped together a deposit for an apartment, but the unit turned out to be unsafe to live in, forcing her and her son to move again before the lease was up. 

Just when they had settled into a new place, Brooke was laid off by her employer. 

“I had to take a huge pay cut just to get a job,” she said. “We had to move again.” 

Meanwhile, Brooke was struggling to keep up with her son’s medical bills and put off vehicle maintenance in order to pay them off. That left her in a precarious position when her vehicle needed repairs. 

“That’s when Christmas for All was able to help,” she said. “That was amazing. I don’t think (the vehicle) would’ve lasted much longer.” 

The assistance Brooke received from Press Christmas for All, fueled by community donations, made it possible for her to remain in Habitat for Humanity of North Idaho’s home ownership program. 

To qualify for the program, Brooke had to pay off all debt except for student loans. She managed to do so, but if she’d had to take out of a loan for vehicle repairs, she would’ve been disqualified. 

When clients are approved for a Habitat home, they promise an investment of time and labor. Brooke has contributed more than the minimum 250 hours of “sweat equity” required for her home. 

Having lived most of her life in North Idaho, Brooke knows as well as anyone that housing costs are sky high. She once thought she would have to rent forever. But now she’s building a stable home where her son can grow up. 

“The idea of owning a home just hasn’t existed,” she said. “But this is a home we don’t have to leave.”