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  3. Meghan DeNorscia
RiverTree | Allen Family Build logo
family and current housing
After years of living in substandard rentals, Stark County native and Habitat Partner Family, Amber Allen, is ready to put down roots and become a first-time homeowner. Amber and her young son currently live in a public housing duplex that is old and structurally unsuitable. The home’s windows are dated, do not lock, are missing screens, and have been known to blow open in the wind. The duplex is carpeted throughout, including the kitchen and bathroom. A serious plumbing issue causes sewage from her side and the other half of the duplex to back up into Amber’s bathroom which has destroyed the carpet. The bathroom sink also has a constant leak; this is a nuisance as Amber is responsible for paying the water bill. As a result of the plumbing issues, several rooms in the duplex have mold on the walls, ceiling, and carpet. Unruly neighbors once broke through her front door and, although addressed by the landlord, the door still does not close correctly. Amber has also struggled to eliminate a roach infestation in the home. Although grateful for a place to live, Amber is ready to move out after five years of dealing with these ongoing issues. By purchasing a home of her own, Amber will provide security and stability for herself and her son, Demetrie. At four years old, Demetrie may be too young to fully appreciate his mother’s dedication to provide a better home for him, but he certainly will benefit from it!

a bright future
Throughout her time in the Habitat program, Amber will invest numerous hours preparing to make her dream of homeownership a reality. She will soon complete the ten week House2Home education series where she will learn valuable skills regarding homeownership, maintenance, and personal and financial wellness. She has also invested hours of sweat equity on worksites and at Habitat ReStore, and Amber is especially excited to help with the renovation of her own future home. Although it sometimes seems overwhelming to balance raising Demetrie, working fulltime, and completing the Habitat program, Amber is committed to making a short term sacrifice for the long term benefit of owning a home. “I look forward to both the responsibility and happiness that comes with owning my own home,” explained Amber. “I wanted to give my child a better living situation and that brought me to Habitat.”

6

hours pledged

10

volunteers
CLOSED

Location / Venue

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.