JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville woman has found her forever home with the help from Habitat for Humanity.
This year's homeowner, Shirley, whose last name is being withheld, is the 11th recipient of "Women Build," a movement empowering women to provide affordable housing solutions for other women. She volunteered to build the house she eventually moved into to and she will soon close on it.
The 61-year-old grandmother expressed how she never thought about becoming a homeowner. She was encouraged to try while working on improving her life after surviving 10 years of human trafficking.
"When I finally made the that decision because one of the questions that were asked, 'Why do you think you deserve it?' Well, maybe I do. Take that responsibility. I am worth it and I can do it,'" she said.
Becoming a homeowner was not easy and there were times she said she wanted to quit. She's currently paying it forward with a job at ReThreaded, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to helping survivors of human trafficking. To Shirley, being a homeowner puts her at ease because she can now provide a space place for her daughter.
"It wasn't me by myself anymore," she said. "It was a community of people that came along side of me."
She said always wanted to leave her family something to remember her by. She feels house is the ultimate gift to her three daughters and eight grandchildren. HabiJax has built more than 2,000 homes for residents in the First Coast.