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Before You Volunteer: Please scroll down to learn more about what to expect when you volunteer with Habitat. Please also know that Habitat will monitor local and federal health and safety guidelines and implement any applicable restrictions that may be in place on the day you volunteer.

Family and Current Housing
Ashley Thompson is building her Habitat home so she can give her children a better future. The Thompson family currently rents a three-bedroom house in New Philadelphia that is too small for two growing teenagers. With limited space, she’s embarrassed to have family or her kids’ friends over, as the rooms are cluttered and get hot quickly. Because the house is small, the kids’ rooms are in an upstairs attic with low ceilings that the air conditioning doesn’t reach. The house also has some electrical issues. There is exposed wiring, the outlets make a sizzling sound when anything is plugged in, the fuses blow routinely, and lights don’t turn off reliably. When Ashley was growing up, her family struggled. Being able to build a Habitat home for her children is her way of giving them what she wishes she’d had as a child. Ashley’s daughter, Olivia, said that while their family does rent a house now, it will feel different when they live in a home that’s their own. “I think it’ll be really nice if we can have an actual home to grow up in and bond as a family,” she said.

A Bright Future

When Ashley thinks about getting the keys to her Habitat home, she imagines finally having the room to host Thanksgiving dinner for her dad and his family. Her favorite thing about Habitat is that the program is that she isn’t just building a house but that she’s building a home for her family. Ashley wants her kids to have a nice home they know is safe so they aren’t worried. She knows having that stability will give her kids the opportunity to thrive at school and to have a brighter future. As she continues in the Habitat partnership and gets closer to building her home, Ashley hopes her kids are seeing how important it is to not be selfish and to care about others. “I hope they learn to care and love and give and not only receive,” she said.

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Habitat for Humanity East Central Ohio logo
In Support of Habitat for Humanity East Central Ohio
As a grassroots Christian housing ministry serving Stark, Carroll, Tuscarawas, Harrison, and Jefferson Counties, Habitat for Humanity East Central Ohio is driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live. People partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering, or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability, and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. To learn more, visit habitateco.org.