Sixteen years ago Marie, her husband Fritzner, and their three children were living in a run-down one bedroom apartment.  Their unit had no heat and no air conditioning forcing the family to huddle together for warmth in the cooler months and face stifling heat in the summer.   With only one bedroom, some of the children slept on the kitchen floor.   When Marie found out she was pregnant they were desperate to find a better home for their children but with both of them working on the farms financially their options were limited. 

Marie was nervous when they came to the Habitat office in Immokalee to turn in their application.  Habitat was their only hope and she was worried they would not be accepted.  Marie said, "It was a very happy day" when they were told that they could begin their partnership with Habitat and start working their 500 hours of sweat equity.  With the help of family and friends they completed their hours quickly and moved into their home days before Christmas in 1991.

Much has transpired over the last sixteen years.  Marie’s three oldest children are in college while her youngest son Fritzner, Jr. is attending Immokalee High School.  Her oldest son, Ernest, 22, studies at Highland Community College in Kansas where he also plays on the baseball team.  Jodavier, 20, attends Western Illinois University on a football scholarship. Daughter Mackdalaine, 19, earned an academic scholarship to Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in Tallahassee where she is in her second year studying criminal justice. 

Marie beams with pride when she talks about her children’s accomplishments and what having a simple decent home has meant to their family. "It has changed my life a lot.  My kids were able to grow up in a safe place. Now they are able to be in school and be better individuals."