On June 15, at 10:00am, Jaiden Fischer stood in front of her new home with her brother, Biagio, and son, Jedrek by her side. She was joined by almost one hundred members of the community: neighbors, fellow Warren County Habitat for Humanity (Warren County Habitat) Homeowners and their families, volunteers, staff, and other community partners. After over a year of hard work, 250+ hours she put into building her own home and juggling between two and four jobs at any given time, Jaiden received the keys to her own front door.

Jaiden and her brother Biagio are no strangers to change. Having been moved around very often as children, they were never in one “home” for very long. When she finally moved into her own apartment after having her son, and Biagio was still living in a group home, she would tell her brother, “If I had a house you could stay with me, but I just don’t have the room.” He had been going through his own hardships, and Jaiden became focused on a way to not only provide for her son, but her brother too. She wanted to be able to give them both a place to call their forever home.

Like other times in her life, Jaiden feels that her pain and struggles were times when God was showing her his plans for her.

“When I was eight years old, [one of my older sisters and I] were staying away at a sleepaway camp to find God amidst our struggles and some suffering in a place we thought was home. We were so happy to get away and to be at this camp with people who were surrounded by love and devotion. During our stay here we were unfortunately taken away, [and placed] in foster care where we faced many feelings of hardship and defeat. But this is where I later learned that God was saving me.

During my time with Habitat for Humanity, I often felt like it was a nice little getaway from reality, kind of like how I felt when I was eight years old…..I found myself surrounded by love and devotion again, and I thank everyone at Habitat and God immensely for being able to make this our forever home,” Jaiden shared at her Home Dedication ceremony.

Jaiden’s new home, the sixth home built on Beidleman Road in Franklin Township, NJ, is a testament to a four-year long journey for Warren County Habitat for Humanity. The plot of land that is now home to six Warren County Habitat Partner Families was donated to the organization by Franklin Township, and in 2020, work officially began. This became Warren County Habitat for Humanity’s first “Habitat neighborhood”, as the Habitat community affectionately calls it, and the organization is incredibly grateful for the chance to build not just homes, but a true Habitat community where children and families can grow and thrive together.

About Warren County Habitat for Humanity
Warren County Habitat for Humanity is the local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity, International and has served Warren County since 1999. An accredited 501 (c)(3) charitable organization, Habitat’s mission: Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities, and hope. You can learn more about Warren County Habitat at www.warrenhabitat.org.