Habitat for Humanity East Bay

Meet the Bamberger Family

Linda and Mario Bamberger have lived in Hayward all of their lives.  For them, the community is their home and the place where they plan to raise their children, Daisy (8) and Jacob (4).  So, after putting over 35 bids on market-rate houses over the past year, you can imagine their dismay when they were continually outbid by investors.  The prospect of owning a home in the town they grew up in would have been close to impossible if not for Habitat East Bay.  

“For us, owning a home is a dream come true,” says Mario.

Currently, the family lives in a studio apartment – all four of them cramped into one small room.  Privacy is hard to come by in this setting, and the neighborhood isn’t safe enough for the kids to play outside. 

Despite these challenges, Linda and Mario are very family focused.  During their free time, you’ll find them in the stands at the kids’ softball, baseball or basketball games or going to an Oakland A’s game as a family. They’re also involved with their church community and look forward to settling in and meeting their new neighbors.

For the Bamberger family, owning their own home provides more than just an increase in space, it’s a place that will allow their family to thrive and grow in a healthy and safe environment. It will also give them a chance to focus on the future. 

After they move in, Mario plans to continue his college education at a four-year university for a Bachelor’s degree in Recreation; he is currently taking classes at a community college. Education, he believes, is vital to success.  Though their kids are still young, Linda and Mario encourage them to think about life after high school.

“The sky is the limit for my kids’ education,” says Linda.  “We’re behind them 100%.”

Once the home is theirs, Linda and Mario plan to plaster the walls with pictures of their children – their motivation to continue the journey forward.