Volunteer

For Kara Summers and her two daughters Royal Grace, 10, and Evion Leigh, 8 the idea of “home” once felt more like a wish than a certainty. But through grit, faith, and the support of Habitat for Humanity, their story has transformed into one of triumph and promise - a testament to what’s possible when hope and hard work come together.

Kara works as a State Tested Nursing Assistant (STNA), caring for others even as she dreams of becoming a nurse herself. Despite her determination, life has thrown its share of obstacles their way. For a while they were residents of Hope House, which gave them a roof over their heads when they needed it most. “But I was constantly worried about what would happen next,” Kara remembers. “Affordable housing in Findlay was either way too expensive or simply unavailable.”

One afternoon, Kara came across a newspaper article about Habitat for Humanity’s Financial Opportunity Center (FOC). Something about the program resonated with her. “I told myself, ‘What do I have to lose?’” she recalls. “I reached out to Dustin Fuller, and that email changed everything.” Kara became the very first FOC coaching client in 2021. After paying down debts and stabilizing her employment, Kara and her girls were selected as a Habitat Partner Family.

“They have taken a chance on me,” Kara says. “They have seen something in me that I didn’t even see in myself.  They showed me I could build the life I wanted and gave me the tools to do it.”

For the Summers family, their new home will mean security, stability, and a place to grow. “Our biggest dream is to have a place where my girls can always come back to,” Kara explains. “It’s more than building a house, it’s about building stability and a future.”