As an elementary school teacher and a single mother to a three-year-old boy, Phillan is an expert in building strong foundations for others to grow, but she is also committed to investing in her own future stability. Phillan learned about Habitat for Humanity through a mother empowerment group at her local church, inspiring her to grow her financial knowledge and pursue homeownership.
Growing up, her parents were homeowners, modeling hard work and responsibility for her. Phillan has been paying rent for over a decade, enduring rental cost increases and frequent uprooting to live affordably, but she knows she is ready to provide a more stable lifestyle for both herself and her son.
Phillan is working with one of Habitat’s housing counselors to strengthen her financial readiness, saying, “Through her guidance, I have improved my budgeting, reduced my debt, and begun saving toward a future home purchase.” She has also participated in Habitat’s Financial Academy and other financial education programs. This additional knowledge has helped Phillan to “develop responsible financial habits and a clear plan for long-term stability.”
While reflecting on the Habitat homebuyer process, Phillan is looking forward to completing her 200 hours of sweat equity and being assigned a home. She is even more excited to be out on the job site and at Habitat events talking to donors, partners, and volunteers, and thanking them for the part they play in helping her purchase an affordable home.
