Changing Lives
See how hard work and your support can change lives.
Tracy L.
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Delilah A.
I don’t know anyone as strong as my mom, she made this happen for us.”
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Clara P.
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Zaw A. and Hel P.
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Ngay M. and Mee R.
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Sokhom U. and Somonthara P.
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Tracy L.
Being a single mom with teenagers is not easy. Tracy has been working two jobs as she juggled her kids to school, work and activities. After her divorce 10 years ago, she did everything she could to stay in town. She has three children and she has been able to raise them in Westford but struggled to keep it that way. Nevertheless, Tracy has unselfishly given her time to numerous non-profits in and around her hometown by sharing her graphic arts, website development and publicity talents. These organizations would not have been able to function or accomplish all that they have to support local families, children and schools in Westford.
Tracy started her journey to homeownership with Habitat in 2017. She remembers saying that she would be thrilled if Habitat ever built a home in Westford. After hearing that they would be holding an info session for those interested in homeownership for two homes to be built in the new Juniper Hill Development in Westford, Tracy attended a session to find out more. Everything they spoke about during the initial presentation “resonated with her”. As she says, “I never would have thought in a million years that I would be chosen.”
When she finally started to build her home with Habitat, she volunteered at the ReStore in Billerica and learned carpentry building on her home where she put in hours of elbow grease, alongside with other volunteers. Two years and 225 hours of labor and learning later, Westford resident Tracy L. is officially a homeowner, one who can look at the walls and say “I built that.”
“The fact that our home was being built in Westford is a dream come true! My parents and I moved here when I was four years old. I grew up here, went to school here then went off to college. But I always wanted to return to Westford and start a family. Having a Habitat for Humanity home is truly a blessing for the kids and I. One of the things I look forward to the most is gathering together for dinner. It’s been years since we’ve had room for a kitchen table and I can’t wait to spend that time together.”
Delilah A.
Being selected at Habitat Greater Lowell’s 49th homeowner for our Alpine Street, North Billerica home is a dream come true for Delilah Amador and her three children. Although her life has not been easy, Delilah always pictured this day, “I have worked hard to get to where I am today, no matter how hard life became, I always dreamed that I could make this day happen for my kids.”
Through all of the challenges Delilah encountered, she never gave up hope; after becoming a young mom at 16, Delilah graduating from high school but soon found herself and her young son without permanent housing for more than a year. Trying to move forward, she continued working two jobs, entered into a relationship and became the mom of another son and daughter. However, Delilah soon found herself the victim of domestic abuse and without a job as her long term employer un-expectantly shut down. Although she wanted to give up, Delilah was determined to keep her family together and focused on making life better them all.
A graduate of Greater Lowell Tech, Delilah became a certified nursing assistant and is currently taking nursing classes at Middlesex Community College. In addition to attending school part time, she works full time as a bus driver for the Lowell School department and part time at a Billerica assistant living facility. Over the past few years she has used her hard earned money to pay off debt and purchase a reliable car.
Affordable homeownership has always been part of the plan for Delilah and Billerica’s Alpine Street home was her second time applying for a Habitat home. Having no support from family, she has worked hard over the past few years to pay off debt and purchase a reliable car Delilah, “I am very proud of myself, I had to do a lot to get here but I did it all on my own.”
Delilah now sees a lot of promise in her future. Owning a home of their own means everything to her and her children, “Now when my kids come home, they will be coming HOME. They will have space to hang with friends, do school work and just “be”. She looks forward to working hard building alongside Habitat Greater Lowell’s volunteers and is happy to share her story with anyone who may need hope, “Anyone can do it. If you really want something, it can happen as long as you set your mind to it.”
As excited as Delilah is, her oldest son Devonnie, now 16, put it best. After finding out that his mom had been chosen as Habitat Greater Lowell’s newest homeowner, Devonnie posted a photo of Delilah on social media with the caption: “I prayed for this day every night. I don’t know anyone as strong as this woman here (my mom), she made this happen for us.”
Clara P.
Clara always tries to remember her parent’s advice, “No matter how impossible things might seem, if you work hard and never give up, you can persevere.” It has not always been easy but Clara had been hoping for a brighter future for herself and her three children, Sonterah, 15, Makaelyn, 11 and Kayson, 7. Although she had been working steadily as a Mortgage representative since graduating from Greater Lowell Tech fifteen years ago, Clara found it hard to find decent, safe, affordable housing for herself and her three children.
During a recent winter things became even more difficult when her landlord abandoned their home in the freezing cold weeks of November leaving her and her family with no heat and a pellet stove. After having to call the fire department, the city condemned her home, placing Clara and her family in temporary housing in a local hotel. After two months, Clara was able to find an apartment in Lowell which she shared with her parents, sister and nephew with each family sharing a bedroom.
“My children mean the world to me and are my reason for being,” Clara explains, “I will do anything to make life better for them.” Clara had applied for homeownership before and after reviewing her application, the Family Selection Committee made suggestions to help Clara reduce her expense to income ratio and become a better candidate for homeownership. Clara followed their guidance, attending financial training classes and a first time homeowner class. Along the way she even donated her old car to Habitat’s “Car’s for Homes” program! Clara took all the steps she needed so that when she reapplied for the homeownership for the Adams Street duplex, she was well prepared. Having been chosen as a homeowner with Habitat is another step forward for Clara.
“I worried about my children’s wellbeing and have always tried to stay strong and positive for them. Being chosen by Habitat to live in a safe place we can call our ‘Home, Sweet Home’ means the world to me. I will never give up trying to make things better for my family.” Clara’s dream of homeownership became a reality in August of this year and she and her family are loving their new home more and more each day, as Clara shared, “it means everything to us”.
Zaw A. and Hel P
Having both fled Burma during the civil unrest in the late 1990s, Zaw and Hel met in a refugee camp in Thailand. Zaw, who worked as jeweler, was shot in the eye while fleeing Burmese soldiers. With assistance from the International Institute of Lowell, they settled in Lowell in 2012 with their four children Phwe, Thin, Nay, and Kay Kay, and were soon joined by nephew Sar, 25. Zaw worked for Metropolitan Uniform and Linen Services for seven years and recently took a new job. After raising their young children, Hel has now joined Zaw in full time work.
As with all Habitat homeowners, the Aung family was required to complete 450 hours of “sweat equity” helping to build their home and attending financial training/homeownership classes. With everyone pitching in and with both parents working full time, this family completed 165 hours of sweat equity in the first month alone and their completed all 450 hours within four months!
Don’t let them fool you though, the road to homeownership has not been easy for the family. They had applied for Habitat homeownership twice before being chosen as the homeowners for a duplex at Adams St. in Lowell. They are grateful the opportunity to own this four bedroom home which has given the children room to grow and flourish. Since moving to Lowell, this family of seven had lived in a third floor apartment in Lowell where they spent 22% of their monthly income on an overcrowded apartment with a leaking roof, heating problems and no yard for the children to play in.
Hel shares, “We are so thankful to all the people who helped us get this house and to everyone who came out to help us build our home.” Her daughter Phwe sums up her parents feelings, “It has been great living in Lowell where we have much better education and a good place to live. We are really looking forward to living in our new home!”
Ngay M. and Mee R.
Having both emigrated from Burma to Lowell, Ngay and Mee are working hard together to support their family of five daughters ages 5-16. Ngay is a hard working entrepreneur who owns a sushi franchise and a tailor shop in Lowell and Mee works full time for the Lowell Inn and Conference center. The family loves their Lowell community and are looking forward to continuing to be active participants and weekly volunteers at St. Patrick’s Church and the SayDaNar Community Development Center when they move into their new home.Ngay, Mee and their daughters currently live in a small apartment in a busy downtown Lowell neighborhood where four of the girls sleep in one bedroom and the youngest daughter shares a bedroom with her parents. There is very little room for privacy as the girls grow, “Our older girls really need some space to have their privacy,” shared Ngay. “There is no outside area for the girls to play and no place to do homework.”
Ngay and Mee first applied for homeownership with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Lowell in June of 2017 and again in January 2018 but unfortunately were not selected. However, their persistence paid off in June 2018 when, after submitting a third application, Ngay and Mee were chosen as homeowners for a duplex home on Nesmith Street in the Belvidere neighborhood of Lowell.
They are looking forward to moving into their new home which will have space for the family to spend time together, study and play outside in the back yard. Ngay expresses her gratitude for the community which made everything possible. “We are thankful for Habitat and all those who have come out to volunteer to help build our home and make our dream of owning a home come true”.
Sokhom U. and Somonthara P.
Over the last twelve years, the Un family has worked hard to become active, engaged members of the Lowell community. Having fled Cambodia in 2006 where he worked as a journalist, dad Sokhom is employed at Unwrapped Inc. and mom Somonthara has worked at New England Wire products in Leominster for over nine years.
Although they are grateful to have found housing in Lowell’s Acre neighborhood, they have outgrown their small apartment which has no dining room for them to share a meal together and in which all four boys share one bedroom. “Although our kitchen is very small, it does not deter my wife and me from cooking great food for our family.”
Despite the size of their apartment, all four boys are thriving. Oldest son Sokreth, attends UMASS Lowell; Visal, a graduate of Lowell High school, is currently attending basic training in the Marine Corps; Vichear, studies nursing at UMass Lowell and youngest son Sokrath, attends Lowell High School.
Sokhom and Somonthara place a high value on education and giving back to the community. They are committed to ensuring that their sons work hard and take advantage of the good education the Lowell Public schools has offered them and continue to excel at UMass Lowell. In addition, all boys have given back to the community by working or volunteering with the Lowell Community Health Center Teen BLOCK, the Lowell Historical Park and working with the Lowell Spindle City Corps to clean up the city and canals. Oldest son Sokreth previously worked as an outreach coordinator with Working Cities Lowell Initiative helping make connections in the Lowell Cambodian community. They look forward to living in their Nesmith Street home for a long time and continuing to give back to the Lowell community.
