Michelle’s Story
Meet Michelle, a driven and compassionate single mother of four. Michelle was born and raised in the beautiful state of North Carolina, and lived right next door to the well-known Biltmore Estate. In 2006, she moved to Georgia with her oldest daughter, Kentiya (18), and went on to welcome her other three children, Kobe (13), Ke’ajah (12), and Kenylah (9) over the next several years. In the early stages of getting to know Michelle, the Alachua Habitat staff quickly determined the sheer drive and tenacity that Michelle possesses. Michelle explained that her perseverance, hustle, and strength are her testimony to the challenges she endured as a single mother who struggled with housing insecurity.
Michelle moved to Gainesville in 2017 with her oldest daughter, and moved in with her mother as she tried to get back on her feet. Michelle eventually moved into her first apartment in Gainesville while working as a Manager at Arby’s, but she continuously searched for better opportunities.
Michelle eventually learned about the homeownership program with Alachua Habitat for Humanity and applied. Unfortunately, she did not meet all requirements and was turned away from the program. However, Michelle continued to pray and work hard. After some time, Michelle accepted a job at Amazon as a delivery driver, which helped her be approved for her current 3-bedroom apartment. She is considered a “high performance delivery driver” at Amazon and enjoys the challenge of her work.
In November 2022, Michelle was ready to apply to the homeownership program again, but we were not accepting applications at that time. She continued to persistently call and stay in contact with Family Services until she got the call in January 2023 that she had been approved! Michelle cried from relief, pride, and excitement when she found out she had been approved, and she felt that God was looking out for her with all of the events that led her to that moment.
Michelle is grateful to have a healthy co-parenting relationship with the father of her children, and to be surrounded by a network of support from all sides of the family. She feels empowered to be a single mother of four that has lived and endured this journey. Michelle frequently reminds herself how valuable and precious the opportunity is to be an Alachua Habitat Homeowner.
Michelle is looking forward to owning a safe, peaceful, and stable home for herself and her children. She is excited to decorate the house in her style, and she knows she “wants a red door” on the outside. Michelle is a festive decorator for the holidays, and has “always wanted a yard to decorate for Christmas,” but has never had been allowed to at her apartments.
The thought of becoming a homeowner has made Michelle feel “speechless, ecstatic, and accomplished,” and she hopes that someone will read her story and be encouraged to follow in her steps.
Everyone deserves a decent & affordable place to call home.
Strong and stable homes help build strong and stable communities.
Decent shelter is something we all need to thrive. With a little help, we all have the potential to stand n our own. Bold actions speak louder than words. Working together, side by side, promotes understanding and self-reliance.
No matter who we are or where we come from…
We all deserve to have a decent life. We deserve to feel strength and stability day after day. We deserve to know we have the power to care for ourselves and our families and build our futures. At Habitat for Humanity, this principle is what unites us. Through shelter, we empower. Our shared vision is a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Because we are all humans. And every single one of us deserves the opportunity for a better future.
