Meet the Perez and Polanco Families!

We hope you're enjoying meeting our Lynwood/Imperial partner families on the blog this week! Today, we have two more amazing families to feature; the Perez family and the Polanco family. You can actually take a home tour of Sonia (Letty) Polanco's home here. Both of these families are headed by strong women and this weekend the power women will join them in building their new, beautiful homes. Two days until the sixth annual Power Women, Power Tools event!

Perez Family


Maricela and her daughter, Dayan, currently live in an unconverted garage, with no running water.  Their only access to a bathroom is in the main house, but they are limited to using it only during certain times of the day.


Her son, Gustavo, is away at college studying sociology but comes home often and stays with them in the cramped garage. Dayan is full of life and loves to spend time reading and dancing at her ballet classes. 

Maricela is a Teacher’s Assistant, but is going to school to become a preschool teacher. She believes that staying involved in the community and keeping one’s children on a positive track leads to many blessings. From fundraising to mentoring and tutoring, Maricela keeps busy by volunteering with numerous organizations in her community.

She is proud to work alongside the other Habitat for Humanity homeowners and volunteers to build her home.  Owning a home means a lot to Maricela and she says it will provide her family with security.

Polanco Family

Sonia lives with her parents and two daughters in a substandard small two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment.  Sonia has worked as a Community Health Educator for 7 years, educating those that are uninsured and need help in attaining medical services.  She also participates in health fairs that raise awareness for women’s health issues and elderly care.

Maybelle is a college student who loves animals and has aspirations to become a Veterinarian after she graduates.  Nathalia enjoys Theatre Arts and is on the Drama Team at school.  She, just like her mother, is very funny and outgoing.

As an immigrant, Sonia is looking forward to getting to know her neighbors as they each build their homes together.  Throughout the building process she has learned that it’s not only about the house but also about growing the relationships and community around them for a sense of belonging. 


Want to read more about Habitat families, check out the links below:
Meet the Aguilar and Ayala Partner Families!

Inside the HFH Internship: My First 'Good News Caravan'


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