Partner Family Stories
Darshida Morgan
522 E Hamilton St.,
West Salem
Darshida has been working to become a homeowner for years. She is a nurse, a dedicated mother to four boys, and a longtime La Crosse resident. After years of hard work despite unforeseen obstacles, Darshida and her family will move into their new home in spring 2023.
The Morgan family currently lives in substandard housing. They deal with mold, leaks, plumbing backups, and rodents. The three small bedrooms are too cramped for their five-person family, especially with boys who love to play and be active.
Darshida and her family have faced painful challenges in the past few years. In 2016, her youngest son was born with stomach cancer. She experienced deaths in her family and struggled to make ends meet. A few winters ago, Darshida and her kids lost all their belongings in an apartment fire.
In the face of these endless obstacles, Darshida never gave up her dream of becoming a homeowner and creating a stable place for her kids. She began working through the Finding Home program at Marine Credit Union Foundation. Step by step, she improved her credit, learned about homeownership, and paid off debt.
Darshida’s four beloved sons - Jaylon, Jordan, Johnathan, and Jayce – are her primary motivation for becoming a homeowner. In her own words, “It would mean the world to me to finally own a home that my kids can grow up in. Not a first home, but a forever home. To be able to show my children where hard work and dedication will get them is my pleasure.”
The Morgan family house is at 522 E Hamilton Street in West Salem. Habitat is rehabbing the ranch style home, which was built in 1950. The interior was redesigned with new framing, insulation, and drywall. The exterior has new siding, windows, garage doors, and a brand-new roof.
The house served as a volunteer site for Habitat’s Women Build 2023, where 40 women throughout our region came to lend a hand in the construction process.