“I am building because my son needs to know that he is worthy of having his own space to call his own.”
Jessica Sutherland is a receptionist and medical assistant in training at an Urgent Care in Clearwater and has worked there for about a year. She is a single mother to her 10-year-old son, Isaiah, and enjoys spending time with him by traveling and exploring new places, going to theme parks, and watching movies together. Isaiah is a big sports fan, especially football. He also loves art and likes to follow tutorials. He is sharpening his drawing skills to hopefully one day free hand his art. He also enjoys fishing, sports cars, and his favorite school subject is science.
In 2015, Jessica and her son were living on their own and eventually found themselves homeless and in transitional housing shelters. She was eventually able to receive one-year assistance to move into a one-bedroom apartment. After her lease ended, she moved into a 3-bedroom apartment with her friend until 2019 when her roommate moved out. She was going to continue renting on her own until her mother invited her to live at her home so she could pay off any debt and look for more affordable housing options. She is currently still living with her mother and two other adult family members in a 3-bedroom, 1-bathroom home. When Jessica learned she was accepted into the Habitat program, she was completely relieved and somewhat in disbelief. “I doubted the process because of being denied twice a couple years prior,” she told us. “I forgot to realize that I was in a different position financially. It was an answered prayer, a breakthrough, and a birthday and Christmas gift to both me and my son since our birthdays were December 18th and 19th.”
“I see my son and I bonding even more together in our home. I see the space and opportunity for more structure in our weekly routines. I won’t have to worry about moving another year or wondering if I’m going to be homeless. I see the space for more activities in our lives and just having peace and privacy with our own rooms.”
“If you are considering becoming a Habitat Volunteer I can guarantee you will not regret this decision,” Jessica says. “I believe the opportunity will compel you to even volunteer more than once. After working at the ReStore a few times, it felt like I was apart of the team and played an important role.” For more information on volunteering in our ReStores, on the build sites, or at our events, please visit our Volunteer Page on our website.
“My house will be a house of peace and a place of love and growth.”
This home is sponsored by
The Sutherland Family home was dedicated on March 28th, 2023.
