Woman Moves Into Home She Helped Build With Habitat
After years of uncertainty and constant moves, Leah Sadler and her two daughters are moving into their new home they helped build in partnership with Rockbridge Area Habitat for Humanity.
The dedication of her home will take place Thursday, Feb. 5, at 4:30 p.m. at 9 Spencer Court in Greenhouse Village.
Before partnering with RAHfH, her family’s housing situation was difficult.
“We were moving a lot and always struggling in one aspect or another,” she recalled. “The places we stayed were always too small or had problems like leaks in the ceiling.”
The journey to homeownership wasn’t easy. “I had trouble finding anything on the market in my preapproved budget range,” Sadler said. “I had applied for a Habitat house before, but it didn’t work out the first time. I decided to go ahead and try again — and here we are.”
Through Habitat’s program, Sadler invested “sweat equity” hours helping build her home and those of her future neighbors.
“It was intimidating at first, and I had to keep convincing myself that it would be worth it,” she said. “I survived and got through it! I learned so much, including how to mix mortar and set blocks for foundations. I feel confident that I could even teach someone else how to do that.”
Along the way, she also built lasting connections. “I really got to know one of my neighbors during the finance classes, and we worked together during our sweat equity hours. He has been a great teammate in this process,” she said. “The finance classes have been really good for me. I even go back and review my notes.”
Working alongside Habitat staff and volunteers made the experience especially meaningful. “It’s been a good time working together with Coleman and Max,” she shared. “Everyone has been so supportive.”
As she looks forward to moving in, one memory makes her smile: “Trying to install door stoppers while wearing acrylic nails!”
Now, as she and her daughters prepare to move into their new home, the challenges of the past have given way to excitement. They have moved into a home of their own — built with their hands and made possible through the support of their community.
