Massillon Construction Trades

Kayla Newman grew up with unstable parents and bounced between school districts as her family moved around. That’s not the life she wants for her 2-year-old daughter, Annalee. Through Habitat for Humanity, Kayla hopes to stop worrying about where she’s going to live next and build a forever home for her family. Kayla and Annalee currently live in an old house Massillon that has several problems: The floorboards are loose and falling apart, there are holes in the ceiling, and her room doesn’t hold heat well, so she has to pile on blankets in order to get warm and sleep comfortably. The neighborhood also has ongoing drug activity and police presence and is not the best place to raise a toddler. Kayla works as a medical assistant for an OB-GYN, and when she was speaking to a coworker about an outlet at her house that caught on fire, her coworker insisted Kayla fill out an application for Habitat for Humanity and then faxed it in on her behalf – something Kayla said convinced her it was “meant to be.” The whole reason Kayla is in the Habitat program is for Annalee, who loves to play with baby dolls, go for walks and eat Popsicles on the front porch. Kayla is looking forward to giving Annalee more stability at home and a safe neighborhood to play in where she can make friends, all of which she believes will lead to a happier life for her daughter.

Since joining the Habitat partnership, Kayla has begun volunteering at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore and on Habitat construction sites as part of the hundreds of hours of sweat equity she will complete. She said it’s hard for her to be away from Annalee on Saturdays, but she hopes all her work through the Habitat partnership builds a legacy of strength that will pass on to her daughter. As she continues with Habitat, Kayla is most excited about helping build the homes of other partner families and then, eventually, her own – something she knows many people don’t get the chance to do. “This, I can actually see the walls being put up,” she said. “You’re doing it.”