The Hoover Family

Living in a basement isn’t ideal for anyone, but for the past year and a half, Tammy and her two kids have been making it work while waiting for a permanent place to call their own.

One room in her mother’s basement serves as a bedroom, living room, and kitchen. “Right now, all three of our beds are in the same space,” Tammy shared. On top of that, Tammy’s ongoing knee problems make the frequent trips up and down the stairs each day challenging.

Tammy first heard about Habitat for Humanity a couple of years ago through a Facebook post and applied a few times for the Homeownership Program. Although she wasn’t accepted right away, she trusted that, “When the time is right, God will provide.”

Then one day, she received the letter letting her know she had been selected as a Habitat partner family. “My jaw hit the floor. I think I screamed,” she said. “But the best part about it though, my daughter had just walked in the door to see my reaction. She was like, ‘What? What?!’”

For Tammy, this new Habitat home represents stability for her children. “I am very happy for them because they will have that stable, same home to do the rest of their growing up in,” she said. She looks forward to her children finally having rooms they can make their own and the comfort of knowing they won’t have to move again.

A full kitchen is at the top of her list, as cooking and baking are passions she’s had to put on hold. She’s excited for a full-size refrigerator and a space to prepare meals comfortably.

Tammy also hopes to build raised garden beds for vegetables in her backyard. “I remember spending the night at my grandparents’ house, and grandma and I would go out and pick all the beans and snap them and everything. I want my kids to experience that side of life.”

Asked to describe a new home in one word, Tammy said, “A blessing. To know that it’s ours, we don’t have to look for where we are going to go next, we get to stay.”

For Tammy, Habitat for Humanity represents an opportunity she couldn’t find anywhere else. As she puts it, “for people that can’t get a traditional loan for whatever reason, this gives them hope that they can still have a house, a home, to be their own.”