I was born in Port Townsend and have lived in the Port Hadlock area all my life. I went to Chimacum High School and I’m raising my own two children here. My family roots are bound deep in the area. I love where I live and being a part of and helping grow my community means the world to me. I love knowing that I’ve contributed.
In the past few years, I felt lost and didn’t know how to deal with depression and anxiety. I didn’t know if I could ever find myself again. Through programs in this community I was able to get counseling, which helped me out of the depression, though I still felt like no one would ever accept me or understand why I hadn’t been working.
I was able to get financial help through DSHS and started working with Olympic Community Action Programs to find job opportunities. OlyCAP helped me get set up with Habitat for Humanity of East Jefferson County and everyone here welcomed me with open arms and without judgement, saw my potential, and was happy to work with me. At the end of my Community Jobs placement, I was told about the possibility to continue working with Habitat through the AmeriCorps program. After I read about AmeriCorps, I became very interested in applying for the educational award and having different experiences.
In my time with Habitat, I have learned so much (and not just about construction). The most important skills I’m learning are about working with others. I have always been so independent and had an “I can do it all” frame of mind. I didn’t know how to work with groups of people very well. With the training and conferences through Habitat and AmeriCorps, I have learned listening, understanding, trusting, and being open to new ideas, which has helped the whole team progress and support each other. I would have never thought that within a week we could accomplish framing walls on an entire house. Getting them all up correctly in a short time wouldn’t be possible without good communication and teamwork.
I have also taken a leadership role in safety. It’s most important, above all, that we are safe. If we are not taking safety precautions, with Covid-19 and with power tools, we could not be moving forward and helping give people the security of owning their own home in such trying times. Leading every morning with safety talks, monitoring throughout the day on the job, and ending the day with a thorough wipe down and clean up ensures that everyone’s health and safety is the top priority. I’m happy to be a part of my community and helping people in need of affordable housing.
I can’t thank everyone enough—Habitat, and all the programs who have helped me come this far and who saw me for the beautiful person I am. I have regained my confidence and feel happy that I have a purpose in life and that I’m helping those in need—and hopefully I can pass my story and knowledge on to someone else, and help change their life in a positive way.