I purchased a home through the Northern Communities Land Trust in the fall of 2009, moving in just in time for trick-or-treaters on Halloween eve. Should I hand out candy or paint brushes to help me finish the trim in the living room? At age 33, I was more than ready for home-ownership, but also as a single person, could never find the bravery or finances to dive into what I thought would be a lifetime of monetary woes and substandard housing. Some friends of mine had purchased homes through the Land Trust, so I decided to look further into it and discovered to my great delight that I could be in a home of my very own for about the same price as I had been spending on rent all these years! Not just any old home, mind you. The Land Trust is committed to renovating less fortunate homes and creating fresh, healthy new living spaces. I am now in a home that is Immensely nicer than the decrepit dwellings I was financially qualified to buy on my own, and it continues to be updated, thanks to funding from not only larger donors, but also folks like you. In fact, my new roof goes on today! I can't express enough how homeownership has impacted me. I am more conscious of my city, my neighbors, the quality of my neighborhood parks, streets, & gardens. I am more interested in being an active part of my community and putting down roots. I am more attentive to creating a home that is a positive impact on its surroundings, and hope that my gardens (which I Finally don't have to leave home to tend to!) bring some beauty and color to a formerly stagnant corner lot. It is a joy to sit on my front deck and watch the ore boats cruise in and out of Duluth's harbor. It is a treat to watch my aging cat enjoy the outdoors again in my fenced-in back yard...revitalizing a youthful spirit in her that I haven't seen in years. And, its a pleasure to know that the work and love that is going into my home now will some day be passed along to someone else like me, who just needs a little nudge from an organization like the Land Trust saying, "You can do this. Go Make yourself a home." I'm proud to be a Land Trust home owner as well as a new Land Trust board member. I sincerely hope you will consider making a donation of any amount to this worthwhile and caring group. Let's keep those hammers swinging! Thank you.