For Cheryl and her daughter, becoming Habitat homeowners is about much more than having a house of their own. It means finally having a safe, stable and comfortable place to put down roots, make memories and call home. Her story is one of tenacity, perseverance and determination.

Cheryl and her daughter are members of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation and originally from the town of Dettah. They now live in Yellowknife, a community that has become home to them and love taking part in community events, from spring carnivals to community drum dances in Dettah and Ndilǫ, and look forward to becoming even more involved as they complete their Habitat volunteer hours, as well as discovering their own resilience, meeting more people through volunteering, and learning from each other.

"I'm a single, devoted mother and have applied to the homeownership program several times. When I received news we were selected, I was beyond happy - mostly excited but in shock! I feel like we deserve this Habitat home, and I am beyond proud of this accomplishment of becoming new homeowners. We are looking forward to making our home feel cozy and comfortable, and especially creating new memories here together. Thank you so much (Mahsi Cho) to Habitat for Humanity for making us part of the Habitat family and to everyone who helped build this home. We are beyond blessed to be homeowners and looking forward to this new chapter together."