A few days after the St. Croix Valley Habitat for Humanity celebrated its 28th year of helping families access safe, affordable housing in Wisconsin, a local mother and healthcare worker, Taylor, and her two children joined volunteers on a snowy afternoon in March to break ground on their new home in Ellsworth.
Staff from USDA Rural Development were on hand for the occasion, including Jackie, Taylor’s assigned Loan Specialist at USDA Rural Development.
Jackie started working with Taylor in early February 2024. “This is the first partnership-funded home purchase I’ve worked on,” said Jackie. “Once Taylor got through her origination process, she introduced me to Kristie, Habitat’s Executive Director. We’ve all been working together as a team to ensure Taylor can successfully transition from a renter to homeowner.”
Ellsworth, population 3,348, has been known as the cheese curd capital of Wisconsin since 1984. Named for Colonel Elmer E. Ellsworth, a close friend of President Abraham Lincoln, the community is proud to be the home of Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery, the historical Pierce County Courthouse, and several businesses, many of which have called Ellsworth home for more than a century.
USDA Rural Development and St. Croix Valley Habitat for Humanity have partnered since 2015 and have served at least 10 families in this area through USDA’s Single Family Housing Direct Home Loans, including the Alma Flores family who, two years ago, moved into their first home in New Richmond thanks to this partnership. By the end of Summer, Taylor is expected to close on her very first home.
Here in Wisconsin, we are proud of the strong, continued partnerships with our stakeholders, and the USDA employees like Jackie who work with people like Alma and Taylor to make their dreams of homeownership a reality.
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