Siler City, NC – Stephanie Boone and her kids can’t wait to paint the walls in their new Habitat house. “As simple as it is, that’s the most exciting thing to me and my kids,” Stephanie said. “That’s really a blessing, to even think about it. The littlest things mean the most.”
Stephanie Boone was born and raised in Siler City, and has been making her own way since she was seventeen. She’s a proud mom of three kids: Shyanna, Joshua, and Laileigh, and she is a pharmacy technician at Piedmont Health Services. After years of renting, the idea of being able to own a home has totally shifted her perspective. “I didn’t think I could do this,” she said, “but this is something that nobody can take. As long as I’m doing right by it, it’s mine. I’m working toward my own future.”
For many of our neighbors in Chatham County, the idea of owning a home feels totally out of reach. People like Stephanie work hard to make ends meet and provide for their families, but it can feel like a moving target. It’s hard to plan for the future when you’re worried about where you’ll be living next month, or how you’ll pay your next electric bill.
For Stephanie, it is a huge relief to know that she won’t have to move again. For the first time, she can imagine her kids coming home from college, and one day bringing their own families to spend the holidays at her house.
“I can’t wait to see my grandkids run around on the same floors that my kids ran around on. That’s the future I see. That’s the life I’m building.”
When Stephanie moves into her Chatham Habitat house, her mortgage payment will be less than 30% of her income, and it won’t change. She will get to do all the small things that mean so much – paint the walls, plant a garden, and host Thanksgiving dinner. She’ll also get to do the big things – save money to send her kids to college, build relationships with her neighbors, and live the life of her dreams.
It’s no surprise that 2020 was a challenging year for the families we serve, and for Chatham Habitat. After such an uncertain time, stable housing feels more important than ever. Before Covid-19, more than 7,000 families in Chatham County – 1 in 4 – were spending more than 30% of their income on housing. With the significant economic impact of the pandemic continuing to unfold, the number of families struggling to make ends meet is only growing.
We’re committed to this work, and we’re eager to keep finding creative ways to make sure that everyone in Chatham County has a safe place to call home.
Your support this Spring will allow us to keep doing what matters – helping families like Stephanie’s build their dreams. Click Here to Donate Online Now.
Or, mail a check to:
Chatham Habitat for Humanity
attn Anna Tuell
PO Box 883
Pittsboro, NC 27312