Habitat Builds: Hope and Confidence
Mr. and Mrs. Barko are no strangers to life challenges. After years of being persecuted for being Christians in their native Ukraine, they emigrated to the U.S. in 1992 and settled in Washington state. Now with seven grown children, 14 grandchildren and one great-grandchild living in various states, the Barkos moved to Winston-Salem four years ago to be near their oldest daughter and her family. Mr. Barko, now 68, is retired and Mrs. Barko, 65, is a phlebotomist at Novant Health.
Although they were tired of renting, the high-priced housing market was an obstacle to homeownership until a family friend suggested they apply to Habitat in late 2023.
“Habitat has been a journey, but we have loved it,” Mrs. Barko said. “We’ve gone to a lot of classes and put in a lot of sweat equity hours, and all of these things have value. At Habitat, you are surrounded by people who care and encourage you. We’ve learned so much and met lots of wonderful people who have shared their experiences.”
Paying it forward
Knowing that volunteers helped build their home is especially meaningful, she added. “One day we went by the house and there were people there from Mt. Tabor Methodist church, who were in their 60s, 70s, even 80s, working so hard putting in bushes and flowers. I came home and started crying. I thought these are such beautiful people, just volunteers who don’t know us, doing this from the bottom of their hearts.”
The Barkos have already begun paying it forward, making donations to Habitat as they are able, Mrs. Barko said. “Every $10, $20, $30 will help. It’s not just about getting a house. Habitat gave us hope and confidence. It’s a beautiful opportunity to start a new future, all because of people helping us, and we really appreciate it.”
Habitat Forsyth would like to thank United Way, Truist, Publix, John Deere, and all of our donors and volunteers for making the Barko’s dream come to life.
Habitat Programs
Please support Habitat for Humanity’s mission of building or improving homes locally and around the world while also diverting reusable material from landfills by donating your gently used items or shopping at our ReStores, both in person and on our online eBay store.
Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities, and hope. But that’s not all we do!
Learn more about Habitat for Humanity of Forsyth County’s programs:
Kitchen Deconstruction Program
