A Fresh Start, Rooted in Community

For Brandon and Jen, becoming a partner family with Itasca County Habitat for Humanity represents more than a new house, it marks a new beginning built on safety, stability, and the promise of a brighter future for their family.

Brandon was born in Grand Rapids and grew up in Cohasset alongside his mom and two brothers. Jen’s upbringing took her across northern Minnesota, born in Deer River and raised between Blackduck and Brainerd as she moved between her parents’ homes. Family has always been central to both of them. Brandon leans on the steady support of his parents and his younger brother and sister-in-law, while Jen’s strongest supporters are her grandparents and her mom.

Education and hard work have shaped their path. Brandon is a Greenway High School graduate and currently works to support the family. Jen graduated from Brainerd High School and completed two years of college in the animal science aide program at Century College. Today, she is a stay-at-home mom, dedicating her days to caring for their daughter, Harper.

Life together is filled with time outdoors and with loved ones. As a family, Brandon and Jen enjoy fishing, swimming, boating, ice fishing, four-wheeling, snowmobiling, camping, and hosting backyard barbecues with friends and family. Those traditions echo their own favorite childhood memories—Jen fondly recalls four-wheeling, mudding, camping, trips to Valleyfair, and visits to the Mall of America, while Brandon’s memories are rooted in nature: sucker fishing in the creeks, spear fishing, trapping, and long days spent in the woods.
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Partnering with Habitat for Humanity is deeply meaningful to Brandon and Jen. “It’s about safe, stable living to call home,” they share, “and a new beginning—a fresh, safe, stable future as a family.” With the support of Habitat and the community, their story is one of resilience, connection, and hope—proof that when neighbors come together, dreams of home can become reality.