Amy
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Amy is the Women Build 2012 partner homebuyer. She was born and raised in upstate New York with her mother, stepfather, sister and brother. Amy moved to Wake Forest with her father in 1991 when she was 13.
Amy works as the Front Office Manager for the Fairfield Inn & Suites at Brier Creek. When you meet her, it’s obvious from her smile that she works in the hospitality industry. Away from work you will find Amy doing many activities with her two children. DaShaun, who is 11, loves to play sports. He is very loveable and loves to help others. Kiarra is 10 and loves cheerleading. She has a “heart of gold,” according to her mom, “Whenever we see homeless people, she always wants to help by giving a dollar or two.”
Women Build 2012’s location in Western Wake will be close to Amy’s job at Brier Creek. There are several motivations for the move, but the most important one is to provide stability for her children and give them the best life she can.
Next year is an important year for Amy’s children. “They will both have to start fresh,” Amy says. Meeting new friends and learning their new schools should not be much of a challenge for Kiarra but DaShaun will be starting middle school next year --a big transition! “It will be the first year that the kids are in two separate schools,” says Amy. “I want them to start off on the right foot and be successful.”
Amy heard about Habitat’s homeownership program from a friend who attended a Homeownership workshop. “She came back and told me that I had everything required – a steady income, good credit and rental history – and encouraged me to apply,” Amy says. “I was skeptical.” But after doing her own research online, Amy attended a workshop, filled out the application and put it in God’s hands.
When her application was approved last spring, Amy immediately went to work building other Habitat homes. In fact, she has already earned 176 hours – more than two-thirds the required minimum of 250 hours. “I’m going to go way over on my sweat equity hours,” she says, “I know I’m going to be a part of my own home construction all the way to the end. Every chance I have, you can count on me being there.” Even after Amy completes her home for her children, “I will continue to volunteer and work on other homes. Not only is it a great learning experience, I get to meet good-hearted people. By the end of the day, I feel so good about helping other families make their dream of owning a home come true. It’s a wonderful feeling.”
Amy helped build the 2011 Women Build home for Elaine Tucker. There, she met several women who she hopes will continue to be involved as her own home breaks ground in early spring. Amy is also excited that DaShaun and Kiarra can attend some of the upcoming Women Build socials and events to get involved. “They are too young to be on the construction site, but they want to be involved, “she says. “By far, the children are most excited about getting their own rooms.”