Coming Home: Jermeka Returns to Happy Hill
Jermeka attended a Habitat meeting in Happy Hill in 2023 and learned that Habitat would be building new homes right in her neighborhood. “I was born here, and that is one of the reasons I applied to Habitat. I’m definitely glad to own a home here.”
Her children, ages 19, 9 and 6, are also excited about their new home, where they will finally each have their own bedrooms and a yard to play in. They have been living in a two-bedroom apartment and the rent has been going up. Jermeka is relieved that her mortgage will be less per month than she has been paying in rent.
Her older son, in particular, has benefited from the Habitat experience, as he has worked alongside Jermeka helping to build their home. He is currently a student at Forsyth Tech and plans to be an electrician. Jermeka says volunteering on Habitat construction sites was special to her as well. “I wasn’t sure what it was going to be like, because I’d never done it before. But the construction crew teaches you well and makes sure you are comfortable, and they stay there with you. I got to run the saw, put up siding, stand up on the scaffolding – I really enjoyed it.”
Jermeka says becoming a homeowner is an important example to set for her children. “There are many women out there – and men, too -- who want to change their lives and show their children something different. It’s important for my family, and for the future of my family, that we own a home. I’ve had so many friends and family ask me about Habitat and look up to me because I am now a homeowner. It is impactful for the community and for our lives. There are many of us who cannot get a big loan from a bank to buy this same quality of a house. Habitat allows me to have a home I can afford.”
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