Donjia's Family Story

Born and raised in the Twin Cities, Donjia McDonald is a friendly, busy, and proud mother of three. She currently works as an overnight counselor at a group home. She had worked at a bank for four years, but she lost that job when the recession deepened.

According to Donjia, "Once you’ve experienced a lay-off, you just need to go where you’re needed." With past work experience in the human services field, she was thankful to secure her current position.

Donjia and her kids live with her mother in Minneapolis now, and while she is grateful that her mother made room for her family, Donjia says of the situation, "It’s definitely not good." Her new Habitat home will be less crowded, more stable, and will allow her to feel independent. As for her two oldest children, "They were so excited when they found out we got the house. They couldn’t believe they’ll each get their own room, their own space."

Her older daughter Deonna, a sophomore in high school, excels at math and science. She has started to look at colleges, especially ones with good engineering programs. Her son Deonay loves to build things -- out of whatever materials are at hand -- so it stands to reason that when he grows up he wants to be a "builder." Donjia wouldn’t be surprised if he becomes an architect.

The mother of three believes it is important to lead by example. In her new neighborhood, she plans on being on her block committee, and possibly joining the Peace Foundation. She asserts, "Once you move in, it’s what you make of it."

While she understands that a 30-year mortgage is a big responsibility, Donjia feels she has the tools to move forward. The most important of these are her positive attitude and, not surprisingly, her love for her children.