For Dejavu and Jaluan, homeownership is the next chapter in a story that began years ago.

Although both now work at Amazon, the couple didn’t meet on the job. They’ve known each other since childhood, building a relationship that eventually led them to pursue a future together. Before purchasing their Habitat home, they were living in a one-bedroom apartment and dreaming of having more space for the life they wanted to build.

For years, Lakesha worked hard, cared for her family, and dreamed of a place to call her own. Encouraged by her youngest son, she decided it was time to begin her homeownership journey.

The path wasn’t easy. Before qualifying, Lakesha paid off two vehicle loans and hospital bills, staying focused on her goal despite the challenges. “It was a long journey, very long,” she said.

Originally from central Oklahoma, Emily and Gabriel are planting their roots in Tulsa thanks to Green Country Habitat for Humanity.

The young couple moved to Tulsa because Emily, a Cherokee Citizen, wanted to be closer to the reservation and now works for the Muscogee Creek Nation as a Planner. With that big step in their lives, Emily and Gabriel started to think about other ways to plan for their future, which included breaking free from the constant worry of rising housing costs.

For years, Myricco and his daughter moved from one rental home to another, searching for stability and a place of their own. Through Green Country Habitat for Humanity, Myricco received the guidance, education, and support he needed to improve his finances and qualify for a home. Today, he celebrates more than a new house—he celebrates security, opportunity, and a fresh start for his family.

Now, less than a year after earning his degree and only eight months into his first full-time job, he’s standing inside a home he owns through Green Country Habitat for Humanity.

“It’s surreal,” he says with a laugh that still carries disbelief. “Sometimes I sit back and think, this is insane.”

In 2005, Julius moved to Tulsa with his mother from Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina. Years later, after moving out on his own, stability remained just out of reach.

Now, she’s proud to own a home where she and her son can feel safe, grow, and build a future together. “I never thought I would have a house,” she says. “It’s such a blessing.”

After nearly two years of determination, this mom of four boys has achieved her dream of homeownership. As an executive administrator at Housing Solutions, Sharelle helps others find stable housing every day—but her own journey took perseverance. From improving her credit and navigating a divorce to putting in sweat equity alongside her sons, she never lost sight of her goal.

A lifelong Tulsa resident, Dominique has been working in transit as a driver since 2020. After living in apartments since she was 17, she began searching for a home of her own—but quickly found that many homes on the market were far outside her budget.

“It was really discouraging,” she says. “I started thinking I may not be able to do this.”

Then Dominique remembered volunteering with Habitat for Humanity years earlier with her mom. She decided to revisit the program—and discovered a path to homeownership.

Married just a few years ago and now both 23, Demitri and Sydney have outgrown the one-bedroom apartment they share with their energetic border collie-lab mix. With their whole future ahead of them, they dreamed a living in a bigger home with a backyard, and enough room to grow as a family. Seeing this, Demitri’s mother encouraged the couple to start Habitat for Humanity’s Homebuyer Program.