JoJo, a 63-year-old U.S. Navy disabled veteran, served in the Pacific Fleet. She rented an affordable apartment for 20 years until her lease ended. JoJo had nowhere to go.
For many Americans, the dream of home ownership is a significant aspiration, especially for those who served in the military. JoJo was determined to have a home that she could call her own. Together with the Town of Huntington’s Veteran Affairs Office and Community Development Agency, she found a two-bedroom, two-bath condominium for sale in Huntington’s 14-unit Columbia Terrace veterans-preferred affordable housing complex.
JoJo was approved for a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs mortgage loan, but the closing costs were an obstacle. That’s when United Way of Long Island stepped in and through the generosity of the Long Island Insurance Community (LIIC), JoJo received a grant to help cover the fees so she could achieve her property-owning dreams.
“I am overwhelmed. This is my dream come true,” JoJo said. “To walk into this beautiful home and know that it’s mine, it’s mine to cherish, to have, it’s beyond belief.”