Paid in Full: Habitat Homeowner Julie
In 2002, Jolie partnered with Greater Indy Habitat and longtime sponsor Delta Faucet to build a place of peace, stability, and love for her growing family.
More than two decades later, she celebrates a milestone few achieve – a fully paid off mortgage.
As a mother of six, grandmother of nine, and great-grandmother of one, Jolie reflects with gratitude on what her home has meant over the years. With the support of her family and her son by her side on the build site, she remembers the experience of becoming a homeowner. Years later, she recalls the homeownership courses as informative and uses what she learned to this day.
Over the years, Jolie’s home became more than just a shelter — it became the heart of her family. It was home to her children and also to other young people in need of stability. It’s also where birthdays were celebrated, tailgates and watch parties for their beloved Colts were hosted, and where her children and grandchildren planted roots. She constantly reminds her family never to sell the home, insisting it’s a place filled with memories and milestones.
In 2015, Jolie’s life took an unexpected turn when she suffered a spinal injury that left her paralyzed in her lower body. No longer able to work, she leaned on her family and her Habitat support system. With compassion and flexibility, the Habitat team worked alongside her to adjust her payment plan—allowing her to continue the investment she started.
Despite the challenges, Jolie paid off her mortgage early, beating her original maturity date.
Her home has also become a space for healing and reflection. It’s where she earned her high school diploma in 2020 from the Excel Center and where she honors the lives of her two sons who have passed, hosting annual remembrance gatherings and balloon releases in their memory. It’s also where she’s formed lasting relationships with neighbors, who always try to recruit her as the neighborhood watch leader.
Now, without a monthly mortgage payment, Jolie is creating goals for new home renovations.
Paying off a home is more than a financial achievement. It’s a celebration of generational impact and love. For Jolie, it means peace of mind, a legacy for her family, and a dream that’s been decades in the making. Our affiliate is proud to celebrate Jolie and every homeowner like her.
