Feature
Home Made
It took Danykqua Faulk nine months to build her home with Habitat for Humanity, but what she discovered along the way was priceless.
- Heather Ann Lee
- Fred Lopez
Since its founding in 1976, Habitat for Humanity has helped 46 million people achieve strength, stability and independence through safe, decent and affordable shelter.That dream of homeownership became reality for Danykqua Faulk and her two daughters, setting the stage for a flourishing new life. This is her experience.
Danykqua Faulk and her two daughters are still unpacking boxes in the new home they moved into in April. Taking it slow is a purposeful decision, allowing Danykqua to savor the process. “It’s going to take time,”she says. “But I’m not rushing it by any means. I want to enjoy every minute.”
As well she should, for achieving this dream of home ownership has been a lifetime in the making. When she originally moved to the Orlando area in 2012, Danykqua was living in Pine Hills. The single mom had her fair share of challenges, navigating health issues with both of her pregnancies and kidney failure, which led to a kidney transplant in 2020.
But with the new kidney came a renewed determination to thrive in all areas of her life. She applied for a community administrative assistant position through Orange County and was placed at the Maxey Community Center. Yet what she found in Winter Garden was so much more than a job; it was a sense of home. “I love this community, and I’m going to raise my girls here. It’s been such a blessing,” she says .
She signed her partnership agreement with West Orange Habitat for Humanity in July 2022 and finally closed on her house in April 2023. As a second-generation Habitat for Humanity homeowner, Danykqua knew firsthand the hard work and dedication it took to achieve home ownership by watching her mom go through the process in South Florida.
While she was familiar with the process and came into the program exceeding the minimum requirements, she says she didn’t know much about the closing process and that there still were some shortages or delays with supplies and building materials. “I just had to be patient and wait!” she says. “I had to persevere, not give up or get discouraged, even though my previous living space was continuing to deteriorate with electrical issues, plumbing issues, and mold.”
It took nearly nine months of perseverance, perspiration, and patience,but watching the house take shape was worth every moment. “Words can’t describe that feeling… There are so many emotions packed into the process. I still get overwhelmed when I think about it,” she says
Challenges and delays aside, Danykqua spent every day on site alongside a team of more than 300 West Orange Habitat volunteers, helping build her home. “People I never knew put their love into building my home. It’s so humbling,” says Danykqua. Each day, she took the time to meet the volunteers and read every message written on the plywood, two-by-four, drywall and stairs. In fact, she still has those endearing messages captured in her phone.”It was so special. It still is,” Danykqua says. “I had never felt so much love from friends and strangers alike. What a blessing,” she says.
In addition to working on her house, Danykqua participated in West Orange Habitat for Humanity’s education program for homeowners. “They taught us how to caulk, how to change the AC filter, how to shut off the water main, how to cut the grass and keep the wood floors,” Danykqua recalls. “The financial literacy program is great, too. It was tailored to help individuals with budgeting.”
Danykqua says she can’t say enough good things about the incredible team at West Orange Habitat for Humanity. “Gayle and Marilyn are phenomenal. Organized, dedicated, and ready to help,” she says. They kept open communication with her throughout the long process and fostered a loving and friendly environment. Dankyqua also continues to have a great relationship with her mentors, Wes Beacham and Crystal Davidson, as well as her home sponsors Charlie Roper and his sister, Becky Roper.
With her house now complete, Danykqua has set her sights on paying it forward. “Now it’s my turn to help other people. I’m going to keep volunteering and helping other families. Whether that’s through my work at the Maxey Center, through West Orange Habitat for Humanity, or through my new role as president of One Winter Garden, I’m ready and willing to continue to be involved.”
Indeed, what began as a dream to build a safe haven for her family has evolved into a greater mission. Still, the pleasure she finds every day simply living in her beautiful new home, unpacked boxes and all, is intangible. “I love my house so much,” Danykqua says. “But seeing my girls excited as well, that means the most.”
For her two young daughters, Ailani (6) and Journei (4), the best part is the stairs. “My kids love stairs,” Danykqua laughs. “They’re always in trouble playing on the stairs. It’s their favorite thing. I promise you.”
Danykqua sits with that thought for a moment, a smile lingering on her face. “Home means a future. Now that we have a stable home, we can begin to look ahead to where we want to go,” she says. “Home is the base where everything begins.” With plans to host Thanksgiving this year for her entire family, and the promise of a real Christmas tree, the memories are already being planted. Indeed, for the Faulk family, this house is so much more than four walls and a roof . “Home is a feeling. A feeling of accomplishment that when I walk through the door, it’s mine. There’s no greater feeling!”
And that feeling has her excited for the future. “God is purposefully moving me in great directions, especially with community involvement and community engagement,” she says. “There aren’t enough words other than the fact that I’m just so blessed.”
