Family means everything to Guadalupe.
Every Friday night, Guadalupe, Adan, and their two young kids Camila and Adan Jr. join her parents, her sisters and their families, and Adan’s brother for a weekly family soccer game. With so much family in Tucson, Guadalupe and Adan are really looking forward to settling in a house of their own one day.
“I just want my children to be happy,” Guadalupe says. “I think it’s going to be hard to make a change – but it’s going to be worth it. It’s going toward something that’s going to be our family’s for a long time – a home.”
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Every morning, Guadalupe gets the kids ready for school, drops off her daughter, and then goes to work as an assistant teacher. Meanwhile, Adan works for a flooring systems company to help provide for his family. His dreams are for his family to have a stable home, to see his family happy and growing. But the high cost of rent and groceries makes that dream out of reach.
“Anything leftover is for the kids,” Guadalupe says, making sure her kids have a good education and the ability to keep playing soccer.
Guadalupe, Adan, and their children have lived in a 2-bedroom mobile home for the past six years. In Camila’s room, there’s barely space for her twin bed and a tiny dresser. “Her room is too small for her to play,” Guadalupe says. Meanwhile little Adan’s crib squeezes into Guadalupe and Adan’s bedroom. They badly crave a yard, a place for the kids to run around and practice soccer as a family.
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In summers, their mobile home gets very hot and the unwelcome smell of stray cats fills the air. Back when they had a cooler, a leak created a serious dip in the wall. The floors sometimes have holes, and the water pressure is so low that Guadalupe can’t do the dishes at the same time the laundry is running. If her kids want to take a shower, they have to wait until the laundry is done or risk a pipe bursting.
One of Guadalupe’s biggest concerns is providing a safe, clean environment for her family. That’s why Adan and Guadalupe are so eager to purchase their new Habitat home. “It’s going to be much safer. We’re going to know our neighbors because we’re getting to know them through these meetings – and they’re really becoming our friends.”
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When they think about what their new home will be like, Adan and Guadalupe picture a completely different life. “Stability, comfort, safety – everything’s going to be better,” Guadalupe says. “Home is where the family is – it’s love. Just being happy together. Just being able to rest and know that everyone you love is there.”