Health Starts with Home: Brittney’s Path to Stability and Healing with Habitat KC.
For Brittney, the road to homeownership wasn’t a straight one. It wound through health challenges, cross-state hospital visits, and years of uncertainty. But today, she stands on the other side as a Habitat KC homeowner.
A Family Legacy of Habitat
Brittney didn’t discover Habitat for Humanity through a flyer or a web search. She learned about it the way many of the best things in life are passed down — from her mother.
“My mom is a Habitat owner,” Brittney shares. “She’s owned her home for about 30 years. She’s been pushing me to apply.”
For years, fear held Brittney back. A serious health diagnosis made the future feel uncertain, and the weight of a major life step felt overwhelming. But when she was finally ready, she took the leap.
“God brought me here and told me to do it this time,” she says.
A Wake-Up Call in Texas
In 2019, Brittney was diagnosed with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma — a rare disease that has required ongoing treatment, including a transplant at KU and multiple trips back and forth to Texas for care. It was during one of those treatment stays that everything shifted.
“I finally had a wake-up call to say — there has to be a change,” she recalls. “I had hope that I could do it. That I could make a change for not only myself, but for my daughter as well.”
What Home Really Means
Ask Brittney what the word home means to her, and she doesn’t hesitate.
“Home means somewhere safe. Somewhere reliable, comfortable, fun, loving, welcoming.”
It isn’t an abstract concept for Brittney. It’s a doctor’s appointment she can get to. It’s a clean environment that supports her recovery. It’s a neighborhood school close enough for her daughter to thrive.
“Health starts with home,” she says simply — and she means it in every sense of the word.
Building More Than a House
One of the most transformative parts of the Habitat KC journey is the build itself, and Brittney discovered something unexpected along the way.
“Before I helped build my home, I knew how to vacuum, do dishes — the basics,” she laughs. “But as I learned how to use different tools and do different projects, it helped me learn how to build a home, how to maintain a home, how to keep it safe.”
From drilling holes to installing window screens, Brittney gained skills she never imagined having.
“I would have never drilled holes or put in window screens,” she says. “Just learning all the techniques — now I know if something happens to my home, what to do.”
The Moments She’s Looking Forward To
When asked about the small joys she’s anticipating, Brittney lights up.
“I can’t wait for the holidays. I can’t wait for gatherings. I can’t wait to just see the smile on my daughter’s face every day — watching her grow up, every moment, every year.”
I’m always going to have my door open for family, friends, and my daughter. This will always be home for her.
She dreams of sitting on the porch. Making her home feel cozy and warm. Welcoming family and friends through a door that is always open.
A Future Built on Solid Ground
For Brittney, homeownership was never just about a house. It’s about building a future that is stable, safe, and full of possibilities. It’s about raising her daughter in an environment where she feels rooted. It’s about continuing to heal and having a strong foundation that supports her journey.
Thirty years ago, Brittney’s mother became a Habitat homeowner. Now, Brittney carries that legacy forward.
Brittney is a Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City homeowner. To learn more about our
Homebuyer Program or to support families like Brittney’s, visit habitatkc.org/home.