Dear Friend,
Back in the late 1980s, I was sharing a bedroom with my best friend from high school. My parents were sleeping in a
tent, and my siblings were scattered, staying with friends. Our family was homeless — again. I was too embarrassed to tell most people that this was our reality.
In our rural Virginia town, there were no shelters. My friend and her parents saved me from entering the foster care
system. When it came time for college, my parents borrowed a car just to drop me off. That moment marked the beginning of a new chapter — one where education became my pathway out of homelessness.
Ten years after graduating, I bought my first home.
I’ll never forget pulling into the driveway after work, sitting in my car, staring at the house with tears streaming
down my face. I had made it home.
Homeownership changed everything.
It gave me more than a roof and four walls — it gave me dignity, safety, and a future. I could lock the door behind
me and sleep without fear. I could cook in my own kitchen. I could begin to build wealth. I could dream again. That house key wasn’t just metal — it was a key to hope.
I never imagined that my experience with homelessness would lead to a lifelong passion: serving others who face housing
insecurity.
June is National Homeownership Month, and at IHA, we’re celebrating by sharing stories of transformation — stories like
mine. We’ll also shine a light on the barriers that still stand in the way, like discrimination and inequities.
Homeownership matters. It’s personal. It’s foundational. It’s transformative. And it’s at the heart of everything we
do at IHA.
Today, I’m asking you to help us open the door for someone else.
A gift of $35 — one dollar for every year IHA has been helping people like me — can help make the dream of homeownership
a reality for someone still waiting for their key.
