Diamond is the devoted mother of two daughters, Hazel and A’marie. She is a hard-working, determined, and caring person who loves her family and her job as a certified nursing assistant at University Health Care, where she has worked for almost a year. She wants to become a Qualified Medication Aide, and eventually pursue her dream of being a registered nurse. She refers to nurses as “superheroes without capes.”

Diamond’s journey to homeownership has not been an easy one. She was raised by a devoted single mother who worked three jobs to support the family. As an adult, she spent several years without a home, until she could finally manage a one-bedroom apartment. Currently she rents an older three-bedroom house which is in poor condition and has insufficient insulation, mold issues, and several bullet holes in the walls. She longs for a steady and secure place for her girls to call home. “Being in a stable home that is ours…that is everything to me.”

Diamond learned about Habitat through her cousin who is a Habitat homeowner, but she didn’t fully understand the program until she applied. “A lot of people think Habitat is just a free house.” However, by going through this process she learned about the hard work it takes to get a house and the many hours of sweat equity it requires. At times, she feels somewhat overwhelmed by the commitment, but she always reminds herself that it is worth it. She says to herself, “This girl CAN!”

The required classes for future Habitat homeowners have been very helpful. Diamond has learned about financial management, energy conservation, and home maintenance. She has applied what she has learned to other areas of her life and has enjoyed sharing that knowledge with family and friends. In the process of fulfilling the homeownership requirements, she has enjoyed meeting other future homeowners and learning about their journeys. She says that they have become like family to her.

Diamond and her daughters are very excited about their future. A home of their own is on the horizon, and the girls can’t wait to choose the colors for their rooms. Diamond looks forward to having a place that is theirs where her daughters can play outside in a safe environment and is incredibly grateful for this opportunity. “I can’t say thank you enough to everyone…to Habitat, to the Core Crew, to my sponsor…to everyone who is making this possible.”