“I look forward to my kids saying ‘Mommy, we did it. We changed our circumstances and now we have a place to always call home.'”

Cheetara Louch, a Certified Nursing Assistant at Shores Acres Care Center and a single mother to four children, is on her journey towards homeownership with Habitat for Humanity. Her oldest child and only daughter, Davianah, is 17-years-old and is in the Magnet Medical Program at her high school and hopes to become a traveling nurse on day. Her second oldest, Jontae, is 14-years-old and enjoys playing football for his high school where he was recently advanced to the varsity team. Majik is 5-years-old and he loves to play soccer and read books to his mom. Finally, Majisty is the baby of the bunch at 3-years-old and he loves school and cannot wait to go to kindergarten to he can learn.

The Louch Family’s current living situation is a challenge. They live in a four-bed two-bath apartment that is overpriced and in an unsafe neighborhood with drug dealers and frequent shootings. “I don’t make a lot of money to cover the rent and still have money to spare, so I have to work overtime which forces me to be away from my children for long hours at a time.” Being a single parent of two teenagers and two little ones, Cheetara juggles her work life while also making time to take her children to extracurricular activities.

When Cheetara visited Habitat’s admin offices and was surprised with the news that her family was accepted into the program, she dropped to her knees and cried tears of joy. “I was ecstatic. I started thanking God because without him none of this would be possible. I couldn’t believe it was really me that Habitat chose to be a homeowner candidate.” Cheetara is looking forward to not having to move from apartment to apartment anymore. She is excited to have something that she can call her own.

Volunteers are at the heart of the Habitat mission. Their invaluable contributions have enabled us to create a positive and lasting impact in countless communities around Pinellas and West Pasco counties. If you are interested in volunteering on our build sites, at our Restores, or at special events, please visit our Volunteer Page to learn more.

“Habitat has given me the skills and tools I need to be a better person, be a good neighbor, budget my money, and just all around manage my life. I’m am grateful for this opportunity.”