Local Veteran Receives Keys to New Home
On Tuesday, October 4th, Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity welcomed Army Veteran Donyna to her new home in the Highland Park Southern Tip neighborhood in the City of Richmond.
Donyna enlisted in the United States Army at the young age of 17. She was motivated to serve her country and saw it as a way to see the world. While in the Army, Donyna served as an Ammunition Specialist and was awarded several medals in recognition of her service. While not currently active duty, Donyna still serves as a member of the Army Reserves.
Now a mother to five young children, Donyna is ready to find a stable and affordable home to raise her family. Currently, Donyna lives in one of the local public housing developments and looks forward to finally having a space of her own.
Through Richmond Habitat’s veterans homeownership program, Habitat for Heroes, Donyna will purchase a safe, healthy home and pay an affordable mortgage, making her dream of homeownership a reality. In order to prepare for homeownership, she completed 10 financial and homeownership education classes and attends monthly one-on-one budgeting sessions to make sure she has the tools she needs to be a successful homeowner. She also completed 200 hours of “sweat equity”, or volunteer time, helping to build homes and working at our ReStore. Through this program, veterans who qualify not only receive an affordable mortgage, they also receive a 25% discount in forgivable financing off the appraised value of the home.
Donyna cannot wait to move into her beautiful new home, a home that will provide her with the stability, safety, and security she’s always hoped for, “I just want to thank you. What you are doing is amazing and me and my children will be forever grateful.”
Donyna’s story was also featured on Channel 8 News! View the story here.
