“I’ll feel so relieved once I receive my keys, and can walk through my door.”
Ebony, a hardworking mother of four, is working towards her dream to be a homeowner. She currently is both a CNA/HHA for Suncoast Hospice, as well as a cashier at Publix. Her family is very close knit, and she says, “We love each other dearly. We are very outgoing and adventurous. My whole family is a bunch of comedians, and we love to joke around.”
Her youngest children, Tory and Isaiah, are heavily involved in sports. They both play basketball and football. “Once one sport is over, they go right into the next. They don’t like breaks.” Ebony’s oldest daughter, Ty’Kira, loves to cheer, and has done so for all three years of high school so far. Her second oldest daughter, A’Zahria, loves to attend all the games, but most of all loves being creative and creating TikTok videos on her phone.
The family was in their current living situation for three years. The home has recently been sold to a new owner who Ebony could not get ahold of for the many issues she faced in the home. “I was promised by my previous landlord that things would be fixed, but only received a letter that there would be a new owner. The ceiling still leaks, and the toilet still does not work properly.”
Ebony tried multiple times to get into the Habitat program, and cried of relief when she was accepted. “I continued to work on what I needed to get done, and here I am now as a homeowner candidate. I really enjoy the sweat equity, and look forward to volunteering even after I complete the program.”
“This home will be all mine. It’s a home where I can say- ‘I did that!’ I helped put in the hours and worked hard to complete all of the classes and requirements to become a homeowner. It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it. I want to be able to leave my kids a home that they will always have.”
The Worthen family closed on their home in September 2020. Special thanks to Mr Bruce Terwilliger and Mr Joseph Cameron for sponsoring this home. To watch their home dedication, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzgwyBjzDzE
