Tracy
Empowered women empower women like Tracy.
With her sweat-equity hours completed, Tracy will become the owner of Habitat’s 2022 Women Build home. Although this event is focused on female empowerment, it welcomes anyone in Anderson County to raise funds and volunteer their time to the construction of a Habitat home. The Women Build kicks-off on Sept. 24, with teams framing each wall of what will soon be Tracy’s home.
Tracy has lived most of her life as a renter. She raised two daughters in a duplex and has now lived in the same apartment for 10 years. Ready for a change and something to call her own, she began her search for a home but found that mortgage costs estimated around $1,200-$1,800 per month. “They were so expensive, I had to totally stop,” she said. “I just couldn’t do it.”
Through Habitat for Humanity, Tracy found an alternative path to homeownership that was achievable. When she received a call notifying her of her acceptance into the program, she said she felt overwhelmed with excitement, “I was just jumping up and down.”
Tracy has been in the homeownership program since the summer of 2020, a difficult time for everyone, but she remained devoted to earning her 300 sweat-equity hours.
“I learned first you got to be patient and dedicated to the program,” she said. “You got to want to do this.” She took financial education classes every day, which she thanks for her sense of confidence in purchasing her first home. She spent her weekends at the ReStore, learning the importance of giving back to her community, and on the construction site, learning how to repair and maintain her home.
In addition to the life skills she gained, she also grew friendships with staff, volunteers and fellow homeowners. Habitat is proud of developing neighborhoods filled with folks who really look out for each other. “I got to know Andreanna, Stephinika and Brandi, who is going to be my neighbor.” She said that although she has lived in her apartment for years, she has never learned a neighbor's name. There’s a sense of family that is created among homeowners through the process of working alongside one another on the construction of their homes, which are often situated on the same street.
Tracy is excited for the simple pleasures of her new home.
“I look forward most to my front porch and my yard,” she said with a big grin. She plans to get a little table with two chairs where she can have her coffee in the morning and reflect on her day in the evening. Picturing life as a homeowner, she said, “I’m scared, but ready. I feel more stable than I have years ago.”
Click here to watch Tracy’s video interview.
Habitat is a hand-up for those who are ready to build stability through affordable homeownership. We thank the generosity of our community for partnering with us on home builds like Women Build. We rely solely on the support of Anderson County for the labor and funding of homes for people like Tracy. If her story inspires you to give, you can do so by clicking here.