Give to the Max Day 2023

Itasca Habitat Builds 49th Home with the Johnson Family

Dana and her three boys are the next family Itasca Habitat is excited to build with this year. They cannot wait to help build their three-bedroom forever home where all the boys will finally have a bed to sleep in.

Dana was born in Grand Rapids and resided in Cohasset until she was four years old. She then moved to Hibbing with her mom and attended school there until she dropped out to go to work. She had her daughter when she was 19 and later she obtained her GED. Dana’s daughter currently lives in Hibbing with her two boys.

At the age of 24, Dana gave birth to son Kaden. They moved to Superior at age 29 to start anew. Dana later had sons Talon and Jayce. Needing to get out of a difficult situation, Dana knew a move for her and the boys would be needed for them to have a healthy fresh start. 

 In 2017,  Dana and the boys moved back to Grand Rapids for work. After working for a local business for a while, Dana became an office manager for a dental practice where she is currently employed. Since moving back to the area, the boys are thriving. Talon attends school in Warba and loves playing the trumpet and fishing in the summer. Jayce attends school in Grand Rapids and loves to build Legos or swim. The boys are excited to play in their yard with the family dogs, Paco and Onyx.

 At about the same time they were chosen to be a partner family, Dana’s son Kaden, joined Youth Build with Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency (AEOA). Youth Build is a community-based pre-apprenticeship program that provides job training and educational opportunities for at-risk youth ages 16-24 who have previously dropped out of high school or are at risk of dropping out of high school.

Youth in this program receive construction and carpentry skills while working toward their GED or high school diploma. Construction training is in a classroom setting and on work sites. All youth are offered CPR certification, OSHA certification, and NCCER training. Youth work on a myriad of projects ranging from demolition and renovation to new construction. Youth Build is a great community partner and works on Habitat projects weekly to help these kids gain hands on experience. 

 Kaden and his mom are excited for him to put construction hours in building his own home to help his whole family. When we asked Dana what becoming a partner family meant to her, she was in tears. “This will be the first home I have ever owned, a place where my oldest son will finally have a bedroom to sleep in, and that safe place to call home which I never had”. She looks forward to holidays with her family and making memories with her boys. She is overwhelmed by the support of the community volunteers that are willing to give their time to help her and her family finally have a place to call home.