Tami is a hard-working woman who enjoys helping others in the community. In the winter, she gets hats and gloves to hand out to folks in need of winter apparel. She has a daughter and five grandchildren who range in age from six to thirteen. She loves to spend time with her daughter, who helps her get donations for the hats and gloves.

Tami works in the kitchen at Hacienda, where she has been for the last six years. She was the Employee of the Year a few years ago, which meant so much to her because it was voted on by the other employees and staff. There have been times when she didn’t have a car and walked three hours each way to work.

Currently, Tami lives in a small apartment in an older building where the rent is high. The building is not well-maintained, and the floors feel as though they could cave in at any time. Her sister and her sister’s ex-husband currently live with her because they needed a place to stay, so it’s been very crowded.

Tami has a friend who has a Habitat home, so she was familiar with the program. She was reluctant to apply because she didn’t think she would be accepted. Still, she did apply, and was approved.

When she first found out what all was involved with the program – the classes, the 300 hours of sweat equity, working with a budget partner – she thought that she wouldn’t be able to do it. Having never owned a home before, she knew she had much to learn. But once she got started, she persevered and kept pushing through. She’s much more confident now and feels much better about everything. She says, “It’s been hectic, but a joy too.”

Tami has been forced to move all her life, bouncing from apartment to apartment. She was even homeless for a while, so having a permanent home feels like a dream come true. She says, “This means everything to me. I’ve never had a place to call home.” More than anything, Tami is looking forward to just being able to sit in a house that she helped build and know that it is hers. She also looks forward to having more space where her sister can stay when she needs it.

Tami is so grateful for everyone involved in the process and refers to them as angels. She says, “The Core Crew is a blessing from God. There are so many good people out there who are willing to help.”