52nd home dedicated by Habitat for Humanity Lakeside
Teanna Zillmer and her family will live in the three-bedroom home
SHEBOYGAN — Habitat for Humanity Lakeside recently dedicated its 52nd home in Sheboygan’s North Railway Neighborhood.
The dedication was attended by new homeowner Teanna Zillmer and her children, members of the Bemis Family, which sponsored the home as well as community members. Adam Kilgas, Associate Pastor at Crossroads Community Church blessed the home. “My 7-year-old son finally has a room to call his own,” Zillmer said, noting that she and her children had been living with her parents when she first applied for the Habitat home.
“My daughter, now one, will be taking her first steps in our very own hallway,” added Zillmer. “To the volunteers, donors, and the entire Habitat team: You didn’t just build a house — you built a foundation for our future.”
The 1,106-square-foot home features three bedrooms and one and a half bath on a single level, plus a full basement. Contrary to popular belief, Habitat homes are not free. Zillmer has received a zero-interest mortgage tailored to her income. The generosity of the Sheboygan community, along with Habitat’s financing model, makes these homes affordable.
Richard and Kristin Bemis and their family provided generous financial and in-kind sponsorship of the home, given in loving memory of Austen Bemis. “Austen is proud of this house,” Mr. Bemis said in his remarks at the dedication, explaining that Austen also sponsored and helped build a home for Habitat for Humanity Lakeside. “If you haven’t built a Habitat for Humanity home, get it on the agenda,” he added.
Habitat for Humanity Lakeside is the Sheboygan County affiliate of Habitat for Humanity, the global nonprofit dedicated to eradicating substandard housing. Since its founding in 1993, Habitat for Humanity Lakeside has built 52 houses and served more than 170 families with its housing initiatives. Its new strategic plan, written by its board and executive team, calls for building five homes each year, beginning in 2027.
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