In honor of June being National Homeownership Month, we are sharing stories from Atlanta Habitat homeowners. Here’s Gregg’s story:

I work in the Army National Guard full-time as a medic. I am also an Atlanta Habitat homeowner. A couple of years ago, before I got married, I was a single dad raising two kids.

Like everyone else, life was normal until it came to a screeching halt in early March. The coronavirus pandemic completely upended our lives. Suddenly, the kids were home from school and needed to be homeschooled, the National Guard was activated, and my job focused on intensive testing for the virus, making sure that every soldier is ready to medically deploy wherever they are needed.

Because I am on-call 24 hours a day and highly likely to be exposed to the virus at any point, my kids are staying with their mother for the time being. Luckily, they have a safe place to go. Every day, I see people who have no safe space to go. Living in an apartment makes it harder to socially distance, especially when there are several family members, several generations living together in a small space.

I have always appreciated the advantages my Atlanta Habitat Home has given me–from stability and safety for my kids to financial security to a sense of neighborhood, community and pride. But I appreciate my home now more than ever.

To my fellow Atlanta Habitat homeowners: please take this virus seriously. You have an advantage, a home you can stay sheltered in until the health experts say it is safe to resume normal activities. Most likely, you have a large enough yard where you can enjoy the outdoors with your kids. I know it’s hard. But living is worth it.

I know. I see nurses and doctors and essential frontline personnel out here working around the clock– some of them even dying–to help keep us alive. Take a minute. Think about what’s important: Home, and everyone you love. That’s what matters.