Meet Some of Our Partner Families!

Meet the Leon Aguilar Family: Mirna, Alonzo, Eduardo, & Aryana

Brief Background
Mirna Aguilar is a single mother to three children: Alonzo (12), Eduardo (5), and Aryana (3). Seven years ago, Mirna moved to Washington for better jobs and schools. She has a good support system in the area, including her mother, two sisters, and a brother. Her mother, Josefina, watches the children while Mirna works full-time.

Employment Information
For the past year, Mirna has worked as a dietary aide at a retirement center. Though she has only been there for a short time, her diligence and skills have earned the trust of her supervisors. This trust is exemplified by her duties as trainer to new employees. Of her professionalism, her boss states, “Her work ethics and friendly manners are her strengths.”

Housing Need
The Aguilar family has lived in their current residence for four years. Aside from inadequate insulation that is unhealthy for an asthmatic son as well as inoperable doors and windows, the greatest problem they deal with daily is a fear for their safety. The family is constantly reminded of the dangers of living in their neighborhood with car thefts, drug dealers, and strangers constantly at their door. They also live in a flood zone and in four years, their apartment has been flooded three times causing adverse psychological effects to the children: they are afraid when it rains.

Other Information
As the sole wage earner in the family, Mirna works hard but “she always tries to balance work with her family’s quality time.” The family likes to go to the park and the lake and have barbeques. For herself, Mirna’s immediate goal is to take more English classes but her ultimate dream is to have all of her kids attend college. So far, her oldest son is showing promise with multiple academic and citizenship awards at school. Owning a Habitat home for the Aguilar family is an important step in achieving the stability and peace of mind they need as they collectively work to fulfill Mirna’s dream.

Meet the Cornejo Family: Alvaro, Venus, Alvaro Jr., Amanda, & Maria Teresa

Brief Background
Alvaro and Venus live with their two children, Alvaro Jr. (6) and Amanda (2), and Venus’ mother, Maria Teresa. Alvaro and Venus immigrated to the U.S. in 2000 and have made East King County their home ever since. Alvaro is the younger brother of Erly Cornejo, a fellow Habitat homebuyer.

Employment Information
Alvaro has worked at a BMW dealership as a detailing and carwash supervisor for the past two years. He is currently looking for a position that brings more income to the household. Venus had a background in education in Nicaragua so it’s not surprising that she began work at Bellevue School District as a bilingual Head Start teacher assistant once her son started school three years ago. She plans to take courses to earn a preschool teacher certification.

Housing Need
For the past six years, the Cornejo family has lived in a small home that is so old it needs constant repair. Rental management is unresponsive to their needs so the family of five lives with broken doors, inoperable appliances, and water leaks. There are also several rooms with mold and insect infestation.

Other Information
Asked why they needed a Habitat home, Venus and Alvaro explained, “One of the biggest reason[s] would be to save money for college funds for the kids and the chance to own our first home.” Though they manage to pay all of their bills on time, this couple finds it difficult to save enough money each month to put into the accounts they have set up for their children, especially with their rent and other expenses constantly rising. As part of the Habitat family, Venus and Alvaro look toward the future with joy and optimism.

Meet the Cornejo Family: Erly, Veronica, Ashley, & Moises

Brief Background
Erly and Veronica were married in the early 1990s and welcomed their daughter, Ashley (13), and son, Moises (9) soon thereafter. The couple emigrated from Nicaragua and has made East King County their home. They both have close ties with extended family in the area and count on them for support, including helping to build their Habitat home.

Employment Information
For the past two years, Veronica has worked in retail, recently gaining more hours. Erly is an auto-mechanic and works part-time helping friends and family with their car problems. He is currently looking for a full-time job in and out of his field.

Housing Need
Since 2007, the family has lived in a well-kept but very small apartment. Ashley and Moises, almost teenagers, share a bedroom. The monthly rent for the inadequate space is very expensive and leaves little money left for other living expenses.

Other Information
The Cornejo family loves to go camping, play softball, and watch Moises’ baseball games. Others characterize the family as cohesive” with “strong family values on respect, caring, and character.” Like many parents in their situation, Erly and Veronica list providing a good home for their family as one of their future goals. By applying to Habitat for Humanity, these parents have taken the first active steps towards fulfilling this goal.

Meet the Idris-Ismael Family: Idris, Asiya, Seidy, Anhar, Haitham and Rida

Brief Background
Originally from Ethiopia, Idris and Asiya have lived with their family in the area for the last nine year. The Idris-Ismael family is a young one with children under the age of ten: Seidy (6), Anhar (5), Haitham (3), and Rida (1). The future site of their Habitat home will be in Renton, which is ideal for them because they have both family and Habitat homeowner friends in that area.

Employment Information
Idris has worked as a hospital assistant in a local hospital for the past five years. In the near future, he would like to continue his education for the purpose of increasing his current income. For the past four years, Asiya has worked on-call as a part-time nursing assistant in a local nursing home. Her supervisor has described her as a “good employee”. A good credit score is evidence that this couple has handled their financial situation well, even managing to contribute to a savings plan.

Housing Need
For the past eight years, the Idris-Ismael family has lived in a small two-bedroom apartment, which has multiple problems, both inconvenient and hazardous to their health. For example, the floor boards are rotted, the windows and doors are drafty, and they can’t use the heater because it is right next to the beds. The neighborhood is also unsafe – their car has been broken into and the apartment is located on a busy street, which is not ideal for the small children. With the six family members, there is obviously overcrowding but they cannot afford other housing. Despite these conditions, the apartment is kept very tidy and clean.

Other Information
Friends of Idris and Asiya see the family’s going through the housing process with Habitat as “a good opportunity for their children, education and financial stability”. They also describe the couple as “ethical”, “decent” who get along well with others and the children as “polite” and “friendly”. This family, who are “excited to be part of Habitat”, will be a wonderful addition to the community!

Meet the Larson Family: DoriAnn, Tyson, and Tristan

Brief Background
The Larson family consists of mom, DoriAnn, and her two sons, Tyson (age 7) and Tristan (age 3.) DoriAnn is a native of East King County and her parents and grandparents live in Kirkland. The Larson family enjoys going to the park, visiting family in Moses Lake, and attending carnivals and festivals.

Employment Information
DoriAnn has worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant for more than seven years and helps care for her elderly grandfather.

Housing Need
DoriAnn currently pays more than 50 percent of her income toward rent for a modest two-bedroom apartment and would love to have a place “to call her own” that is a safe environment for her two children to grow.

Other Information
DoriAnn is described by her friends as hardworking and “an excellent mother.”

Meet the Mateas Family: Dorin, Lidia, Emanuela, Ruben, Simona, & Cristiana

Brief Background
Dorin and Lidia are the parents of four children: Emanuela (12), Ruben (10), Simona (7), and Cristiana (5). The family, originally from Romania and Moldova, moved to East King County in 2005. Lidia has a brother and sister residing in the area.

Employment Information
Dorin supports his family with his job as a courier, part-time contractor, and handyman. Both Dorin and Lidia strive to better the lives of their family through continued education. Dorin is a part time student, studying to be in an accountant. Lidia attends school as well – she is studying to be a nurse.

Housing Need
The six-member Mateas family live in a cramped 3-bedroom, 1-bathroom apartment. In order to have some independent space, one of the girls sleeps in a curtained-off section of the living room while the youngest sleeps in a toddler bed in her parent’s bedroom. Black mold is evident in several surfaces throughout the home including the ceilings and bedrooms. This health hazard has already adversely affected Dorin, who has been suffering an illness caused by inhaling the mold in their home. Health and space issues aside, there is also a safety issue with their current housing.

Other Information
By all accounts, the Mateas family is very outgoing, sincere, and loving. Friends of the family have told of Dorin and Lidia’s selfless involvement with “Mission without Borders International” in their home country and their continued helpfulness with friends here in East King County. Dorin and Lidia are responsible and forward-thinking parents, saving money for emergencies and their children’s college education. The characteristics of this family make them wonderful additions to the Habitat community.

Meet the Ortiz Family: Concepcion, Abriel, Jack, and Jeremy

Brief Background
Concepcion grew up in New Mexico and relocated to Washington eight years ago. Conception and her three youngest children, Abriel (17), Jack (16), and Jeremy (13) have lived in Bellevue for six years.

Employment Information
Concepcion has worked as a receptionist at Olympic Physical Therapy in Bellevue for eight years. She is a valued employee who consistently exudes a positive, can-do attitude and has taken the initiative, in her free time, to learn necessary computer skills.

Housing Need
The Ortiz family lives in a small two-bedroom apartment and pays more than 30% of their household income toward rent. In addition to overcrowding and lack of privacy, the apartment has drafty windows, inconsistent hot water, and damp vinyl flooring.

Other Information
Concepcion and her children enjoy living in East King County and are excited to have a decent, affordable home to call their own. The family enjoys spending time together, playing sports, watching moves, going to the park, and swimming. Concepcion’s children are hardworking students and hope to go onto college.

Meet the Riziki Family: Domitilla, Axel, Jesus, Clelia, & John

Brief Background
The Riziki family consists of single mom Domitilla and her four children: Axel (20), Jesus (18), Clelia (15), and John (11). The family escaped to Ghana when a civil war erupted in their home country of Burundi. They lived and survived in a refugee camp for six years before relocating to the Seattle area. For the past four years, Domitilla and her children have cultivated a community in East King County, a community that consists of friends from Africa, church members, and grandparents.

Employment Information
Domitilla has supported her family with a stable job as a daycare provider for 3½ years. Axel is attending Bellevue Community College and studying international business. He, along with his brother Jesus, pledged to help their family achieve the American dream of homeownership.

Housing Need
The family’s living space is overcrowded and substandard. The roof has a leak and the insulation is inadequate to provide enough warmth, especially in the winter. In addition, there is no hot water available in one of two bathrooms.

Other Information
Members of the Riziki’s church “family” have described Domitilla and her children in glowing terms. They believe that the Riziki family members are contributing members to their community and the country at large. An example of this is Domitilla’s great interest in the process of the last presidential election. With her recent U.S. naturalization for citizenship, she is proud to make her opinions count with her vote. Their Habitat neighbors can also look forward to having a great addition to their community.

Habitat for Humanity of East King County selects prospective homeowners in accordance with non-discriminatory policies as established by the Fair Housing Act.