Claudia came to Canada 20 years ago and built a life in Edmonton for herself and her two sons. She worked hard, but for all those years she was renting, so nothing ever quite felt settled. No matter how long she lived here, it still felt temporary — like she was passing through someone else’s space rather than living in her own.
The rentals were cluttered and outdated, and more than that, they were fragile. At any point, a move, a rent increase, or a landlord’s decision could uproot everything. Even as she put down roots in Edmonton, that sense of impermanence stayed with her because she didn’t have a place that truly belonged to her.
That changed when Claudia became a homeowner.
Since moving in, the shift has been internal as much as physical. Her mental health is steadier. Her confidence is stronger. Her boys are doing better at school and thinking bigger about their futures — her youngest now seriously talking about becoming an engineer. Claudia has also lost 40 kg, which she connects not just to health, but to finally feeling worthy of a good life.
For Claudia, home is no longer just a roof. It is roots: a place that anchors her family instead of a stop along the way.
She still volunteers with us even after completing her hours, because she says our program didn’t just give her a house — it changed how she sees herself and what she believes is possible.
For Claudia and her sons, home is no longer something they borrow. It is something they own.
