Our Current
Families
The Greater Erie Area Habitat for Humanity has helped provide 78 families (116 adults and 197 children) with safe, decent, and affordable housing. Our partner families earn the chance to own a home by dedicating themselves to the program, completing at least 300 sweat equity hours, attending monthly budget coaching sessions, participating in homeownership preparation classes, and receiving credit counseling. Their hard work and commitment turn the dream of homeownership into reality. We invite you to explore the inspiring stories of our current partner families.
The Crosby Family
Meet DaNat’sha and her beautiful family - five bright, energetic children who fill her life with love, laughter, and purpose.
DaNat’sha grew up in Erie and works as a personal care home health aide, caring for others with the same compassion and dedication she pours into her own family. Her home is filled with warmth - a place where guests feel welcome and children’s laughter fills the air.
She’s the proud mom of five: Des’naya, her oldest, is a high school junior with dreams of becoming a cosmetologist (and a love for TikTok like most teens!). Na’von, age six, is full of energy and imagination, often found reading, gaming, or playing with his younger sisters. Three-year-old Na’rael loves his toy cars and brings endless joy to the family. He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and bravely attends therapy several times a week. The youngest girls, Na’tya (14 months) and Ty’naya (6 months), are curious, happy babies who adore following their older siblings and watching Ms. Rachel on YouTube.
DaNat’sha’s greatest wish is to provide a safe, stable home where her children can grow, learn, and thrive - especially Na’rael. While she’s made adjustments to her rental, it’s not truly accessible for his needs. Her Habitat home will change that. It will be built with love and designed with accessibility features that give Na’rael the freedom, comfort, and safety every child deserves - including a first-floor bedroom and bathroom tailored to his care.
For DaNat’sha, homeownership means more than a roof and four walls. It’s a chance to gather her family around the dinner table, to watch her children play safely in their own backyard, and to build equity and stability for their future. Most of all, it’s a foundation for memories - a place where her family’s love and resilience will continue to grow for generations to come.
The Copeland Family
Antonio and Denaysha Copeland’s story began right here in Erie. Both Erie High School graduates, they first met as teenagers - Antonio with a love for science, and Denaysha drawn to social studies. Their shared roots and friendship soon blossomed into something more. Years later, they’re still side by side, now proud parents to their energetic daughter, Telana.
Antonio works full-time at Walmart, while Denaysha devotes her time to caring for Telana and creating a nurturing home. Telana is a bright and curious preschooler who fills their days with laughter, song, and dance. Whether she’s singing along to Bluey or Peppa Pig or working on her favorite puzzles, she brings a joyful energy that lights up their home.
As a family, the Copelands love simple moments together - movie nights, outdoor playtime, and family puzzles spread across the kitchen table. What they dream of most is a home where those moments can truly take root - a safe backyard where Taelana can play, a space for family barbecues and gatherings, and a home that reflects their love and hard work.
For Antonio and Denaysha, home means freedom - the chance to build equity, make memories, and shape a space that’s truly their own. It’s a place of peace and belonging, where Telana can grow up surrounded by warmth, laughter, and community.
With Habitat’s help, the Copelands are excited to put down roots and build a foundation that will last for generations - a home filled with love, stability, and hope for the future.
Christina Melendez & Family
Born in Queens, New York, Christina Melendez has built her life on resilience and hope. After moving to Titusville, Pennsylvania at the age of five, she grew up with a strong work ethic and a determination to create a better life for her family. In 2016, she moved to Erie in search of greater opportunity - a move that set her on the path toward homeownership.
A graduate of Titusville High School, Christina continued her education in massage therapy and human services. Her professional journey has been one of steady growth - from managing Dollar Tree to becoming a store manager at Citi Trends, where she leads with dedication and care.
Christina is a proud mother to three wonderful children: Nova (5), Daciana (11), and Sevaeha (14). Each child brings their own joy and dreams - from trampoline park adventures and gymnastics to sports, art, and performing in school plays. Together, they imagine a home with rooms of their own, space to play, and a backyard where they can laugh and grow.
Faith is at the heart of their lives. The family attends Elevate Church, where they volunteer and find strength in community.
For Christina, owning a home represents more than walls and a roof - it means independence, stability, and the chance to build a lasting foundation for her children. After years of hard work and determination, she is now making that dream a reality. Her future home will be a place of love, creativity, and peace - a place truly her own.
Desheia Brown & Family
In a quiet corner of Erie, Pennsylvania, a transformation is taking place - not just in brick and mortar, but in the hearts and lives of a family that has long lived in survival mode. For Desheia, a strong and soulful mother of two, her partner Isaac, and their beloved dog Spirit, the foundation being poured is more than structural—it’s symbolic. It marks the end of chaos, and the beginning of peace.
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Now, with the help of Habitat for Humanity, everything is beginning to fall into place. The home she is building—literally with her own hands—represents safety, stability, and a long-awaited turning point for her family. No longer will they have to move from apartment to apartment, constantly uprooted by fear or financial strain. This home will be their anchor.
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Elijah, 18, a quiet thinker with a passion for graphic design, and R’manie, 13, a bright spirit with a love for basketball and dancing, have watched their mother rise from the ashes of her past into a woman who commands her future. “We’ve moved so many times,” Elijah says. “But this—this is different. This is ours.”
For the first time, the family will have the space to simply exhale. Bedrooms to call their own. A kitchen where meals aren’t just made—they’re shared. A backyard where Spirit, their scruffy pup rescued from the Humane Society, can play freely. And a front door that closes the chapter on instability, once and for all. The presence of Isaac, Desheia’s partner, has brought additional support and warmth to their home life. “He’s part of our story now,” she says, smiling. “After everything we’ve been through, it’s healing to have someone who brings peace, not pain.”
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Still, the road hasn’t been easy. Desheia is balancing motherhood, caregiving for her own mother, schoolwork as she earns her bachelor’s degree in media and communications, and the financial training required by the Habitat program. But ask her how she’s doing, and she’ll tell you: she’s thriving.
“I used to be afraid of change. Now I understand—it’s the only way to grow,” she says. “This house, this process, it’s not just giving us a roof over our heads. It’s giving us a future.” The build itself is a family affair. Elijah and R’manie are learning about budgeting, sweat equity, and what it means to invest in something lasting. They are not just watching the walls go up, they’re watching their lives change in real time. The boys argue less. They smile more. They dream out loud again.
And Desheia? She’s finally resting. Not because the work is over—but because, for the first time, it has purpose, direction, and an address. This home is not just a new beginning. It’s a reward for resilience. A restoration of dignity. And a reminder that when a woman dares to break free from the past and fight for a better tomorrow, the future rises to meet her—brick by brick, and blessing by blessing.