The staff, board, homeowners, volunteers, and supporters at Habitat for Humanity of Waukesha County are heartbroken at the loss of our beloved and most ardent champion, Jim Tarantino. Jim’s involvement came at a crossroads for our organization, and it is no exaggeration to state that the growth of our impact over the past two years would have been impossible without him. His indelible generosity, charisma, and sense of community were a proverbial sun in which we all could safely orbit. Habitat for Humanity of Waukesha County and, by extension, our mission of everyone having a decent place to live are forever elevated by having Jim Tarantino alongside us. 

Jim was instrumental in helping us bring our first-ever affordable housing neighborhood to life, selflessly providing the expertise of his team at Capri Communities and Tarantino & Co. to secure and prepare the site. With gratitude, we sought to honor Jim by naming this historic neighborhood after him but, with his undeniable humility, requested that it be named for his late mother, Domenica, whom he credited with making him the kind, generous, and community-minded man he was. Domenica Park, as it came to be known, will have a shared legacy between Jim and his mother, and the 20 families that call it home will never forget the impact of one man who, throughout his life, dared to care for those around him. Just as Jim took inspiration from his mother, Domenica, and let her lessons of compassion and community echo far beyond her time, so shall we. It is such a rare thing to be in the sunlight shone by such a beautiful soul and our grief is paired with gratitude at having been part of this wonderful man’s life and now his legacy. 

Generations upon generations of future Habitat homeowners here and in Jefferson County will have Jim to thank for changing their lives, and for that, we are forever grateful.