"No place like home:" Habitat for Humanity builds first house in Mount Pleasant for mother in need

RACINE COUNT -- A Racine County mother is spending Christmas getting ready to move her two youngest kids into a new home in Mount Pleasant. 

Grandy is spending her last Christmas as a renter.

"I definitely had a desire as a youngster to be a homeowner, but time passed and you get into life," said Grandy.

Four years ago, she applied to Habitat for Humanity and got approved.

"I'm glad I followed through," said Grandy.

Grandy squeezed 300 hours of required work, around her job as a teacher, and caring for her two youngest kids.

Tonia Grandy's kids

"I'd come home from work, get them together and do things I needed to do, and then OK -- I have to go," said Grandy.

Tonia Grandy

After building 85 Habitat houses in Racine, this is the first one in Mount Pleasant.

"We're not giving these houses away. They have a mortgage, but we give a zero-interest mortgage," said Jan Roland, Racine Habitat for Humanity.

Habitat's Jan Roland says a major donation from SC Johnson's CEO made the house happen. It's part of a plan to revitalize the neighborhood.

"We always have these house blessings where we turn the houses over to the homeowners, but this one was the first one close to Christmas and it was pretty special," said Roland.

Tonia Grandy's Habitat for Humanity home

"No place like home," said Grandy.

Tonia Grandy's Habitat for Humanity home

Move in day for Grandy and her two kids will be extra special.

"I wanted something that I could pass on," said Grandy.

Because she'll be the first homeowner in her immediate family.

"That's really why I pressed and pushed as well -- because it really wasn't about me," said Grandy.

Once she packs everything up at her current place, Grandy says she'll be moving in sometime in January.