Growing up, Amber always looked up to her grandmother as a beacon of hope and inspiration. While her family rotated between living in apartments, their car, or with friends, her grandmother owned her house and was in control of her own future. It was a stable place she could always come back to and feel secure.
When she grew up, Amber knew she wanted to be a homeowner like her grandmother to provide that same foundation for her own children.
“I’ve always told myself, ‘I want more. I want better,’” she said.
As soon as she turned 18 and became eligible to participate in Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando & Osceola County’s homeownership program, she applied. When her first application wasn’t accepted, she was discouraged but didn’t give up.
Amber found a third-floor walk-up apartment and kept working toward her goal. Seven years later, as a mother of two, she applied again. This time, her application was accepted, but her work wasn’t over. Amber worked two jobs in security while working through Habitat Orlando & Osceola’s homeownership program requirements. With the help of the nonprofit’s certified housing counselors, she learned to manage her finances and stick to a budget, she volunteered on build sites helping to turn foundations into affordable homes, and she incrementally worked her way toward her ultimate goal: closing on the purchase of her home.
“I knew the end was going to be so amazing,” Amber said.
The day she closed on the purchase of her home earlier this year is forever etched in her memory as the day she reached her lifelong goal of homeownership, following the footsteps of her grandmother.
Her house is more than four walls and a roof. It’s a place her children can always call home and a building block of generational wealth. “It’s something I can pass on to my kids and give them a stable foundation,” Amber said.
Stable, affordable housing is a cornerstone for long-term economic progress across generations. Research shows that housing quality, location, and affordability influence access to better schools, job opportunities, and health outcomes.
All of this helps families improve their circumstances over time. Investing in housing not only supports families today but also increases future earnings and well-being for both children and adults.
Since closing, her family adopted a puppy and is getting settled into their new neighborhood. Her daughter, age 8, and son, age 7, are making plans to decorate their own rooms. And they’re enjoying meeting their neighbors and being able to walk to her mother’s house around the corner.
“I’m teaching my children to never give up no matter what the circumstances are and that it’s OK to accept help,” Amber said.
The Habitat Orlando & Osceola team is excited to partner with the Orlando Magic this fall to celebrate Amber accomplishing her lifelong goal of homeownership. We’re tremendously grateful to the Magic for sponsoring Amber’s home, and for the organization’s continued generous support of Habitat Orlando & Osceola’s mission.
Interested in becoming a Habitat homeowner? Learn more about our homeownership program here.