Toward a Place of Peace: Brenda’s Journey to Homeownership

On the first day in their new home, it wasn’t quiet for very long. The silence was quickly replaced by the sound of four-year-old Ara’s feet racing up and down the stairs, her excitement bouncing through every room. Brenda recalls lingering at the bottom of the staircase, soaking it all in. For so long her focus had been on reaching her housing goals that there hadn’t been time to stop and think about what it all meant. At that moment, it became clear. “This was really all for Ara,” she thought.

Brenda has spent most of her life building toward that moment. After moving from the Dominican Republic to Grand Rapids as a child, she grew up in the city, put down roots, and started a family of her own. She managed the day-to-day responsibilities independently while her partner remains in the Dominican Republic. As rent and home prices steadily increased, so did the pressure to find something more stable. Over time, the goal of homeownership became a necessity to provide a life characterized by peace and stability.

“I was tired of renting,” she said, “and I needed something more stable. The older I get, the more I crave peace.”

Not every step forward came easily. At one point, a lender told her that because of her income and student loans, buying a home would be impossible. But Brenda didn’t accept that answer. She pressed on, determined not to let that moment define her future.

Alpha Women’s Center, where she had taken classes during her pregnancy, referred her to ICCF Community Homes’ Homeownership Program. There she met Karen, a housing specialist who helped her chart a path forward. “She told me everything I needed to do,” Brenda said. “ICCF was very transparent and kind. They prepared me for the whole process.”

Together, they took a close look at Brenda’s finances and laid out steps that would move her toward homeownership. This included taking on a second job and paying off her student loans. For two years she worked seven days a week. Reflecting on her efforts, Brenda said that when it’s important enough, “you just do it.”

As her finances improved, so did her credit score. Through the Individual Development Account (IDA) program offered at ICCF, Brenda was also able to save toward a down payment. Still, the journey took patience, and often felt slow. But Brenda kept working, and most importantly, praying because she believes, “things don’t happen on our timing. They happen on God’s timing.”

In 2025, an opportunity appeared. Through ICCF’s Building with Faith campaign, new condominiums were being developed at The Seymour in Alger Heights. Thanks to the additional support from Building with Faith which helped make the homes more affordable, Brenda was able to purchase a condo.

Brenda and Ara loved the home and quickly fell in love with the neighborhood.

“People are friendly,” she says. “They say ‘hi’ when they see me.” Some neighbors even welcomed her with baskets and gift cards to local businesses. “I’ve never had that before,” Brenda reflects. “I thought it was wonderful.” The gestures made the new neighborhood feel like home and affirmed that she had found the kind of peace and stability she had been praying for and working towards.

When Brenda reflects on what this home really means, her thoughts go to what led her here in the first place: peace.

Brenda continues to maintain a full schedule, and even with her many commitments, she’s intentionally carving out time for herself. Four days a week, she prioritizes her well-being by working out at a neighborhood gym.

“That’s my ‘me’ time,” she says, loving the fact that the gym includes childcare for Ara.

For now, Brenda finds herself between arrival and anticipation. She has reached her housing milestone while still hoping for another: the day she can be reunited with her partner Juan, who remains in the Dominican Republic. The visa process has taken nearly two years, and Brenda continues to wait patiently for their family to be together in their new home.

While she continues to wait and work, Brenda is still learning how to pause and take in the reality of her new home. She admits she hasn’t fully had time to comprehend it all. “I even told my mom I haven’t really sat down to enjoy it,” she says. “But once we moved in, I finally had a moment to stop and realize what happened, and what God has in store for me and my daughter.”

Her realization comes through small, but profound, moments: hearing Ara play upstairs in the bedroom she raced to on that first day, sitting in the living room her father helped her set up, or standing in the doorway of the home she worked so hard to reach. In those moments, Brenda finally takes in and understands what she’s feeling: peace.