As we enjoy the warmth of family gatherings at Christmas, one local family man is grateful his family is celebrating the holiday in their own new home.
Thanks to the efforts of Habitat for Humanity, as well as several hours of volunteer work, Sean Babchuk and his two sons were able to move in on Dec. 1.
This comes after many years of struggling to find a place for himself and his children to live in.
“I saw myself, and a lot of other people, living back at my parent’s house after some unfortunate situations,” said Babchuk. “As the market got harder and harder and less and less accessible, we kept sort of trying to find a way to sort of get ahead.”
Reflecting on his experience not having a home, Babchuk says that it’s a hard time to connect with people when you are going through a hard time.
“Sometimes when you’re going through a hard time, it’s really hard to connect with people socially,” said Sean. “Maybe you don’t feel like you’re doing what you need to do for your family, maybe you feel like you are just treading water while seeing others progress in their lives, and it can give a feeling of hopelessness.”
But his luck got turned around when he met Habitat for Humanity.
“I came across Habitat for Humanity, and got partnering up with them and it has been kind of a wild ride for the last 5 or so years here,” continued Babchuk. “Ultimately I was able to move into one of the places I helped build, and it’s gonna be a great Christmas for my kids.”
Sean also says that he feels like he’s back in the game now that he has a place for the holidays.
“It gave me the ability and the confidence to know that I’m not just treading water,” said Babchuk.
“I’m moving towards something. There’s equity being built, there’s a nice place for the kids to live, and I feel like I’m back in the game.”
When talking about how it has affected the way he socializes with others, he says he feels like he’s making the right moves, and that he’s in a position to help others.
