“This is my beginning” — Tamara’s Story
Single mom Tamara struggled to support her family — but you gave her hope
Tamara found herself caught in the middle of a perfect storm — jobless, evicted, and pregnant.
“I was bouncing from hotel to hotel, trying to work and provide for myself,” she says. But keeping a job, caring for her kids, and paying expenses was a burden the single mom struggled to bear alone.
Tamara grew up in Jamaica never knowing what the next day would bring. She decided to leave all that was familiar and come to the States with her family. “I wanted to go back to school so I could get a better job and provide for my daughters,” Tamara says.
She was able to secure a job and afford an apartment. But when her hours at work started to get cut, everything began to unravel. “I was pinching pennies and wasn’t able to make ends meet.” Before she could get her footing, Tamara and her daughters were evicted. That’s when she found out she was pregnant.
What am I going to do now? Tamara thought to herself. Knowing she was in no position to properly care for a fourth child, she made a decision no mother imagines making — she gave her baby up for adoption.
IN SEARCH OF A FRESH START
After the adoption, Tamara sent her three oldest daughters to live with family in Jamaica while she focused on picking up the pieces. “My kids needed a better life,” says Tamara. “And who can give my kids a better life other than me?”
Tamara tried to find her footing. But climbing out of poverty felt impossible. For months she was living out of a hotel room off of her savings — and expecting another baby. Tamara knew she had to break the cycles in her life that were keeping her from thriving.
A NEW STORY
Desperate for a fresh start, Tamara packed up her bags and headed straight to Metro with her newborn baby. She was able to move into SabalPlace — an affordable housing community where Metro provides case management and wraparound services. And soon enough, the rest of her children joined her. Hope finally felt within reach.
“I wanted to make a better life for my three oldest daughters before bringing them back to the States from Jamaica,” says Tamara. “But I realized, why not bring them here and go through it with them?”
Tamara became a homeowner candidate through Habitat for Humanity. Today, she and her girls are in their own house. “My struggle is part of my story. But I’m pushing for a better future not just for me, but for my kids.” With tears in her eyes, Tamara says,
“This is not my end. This is my beginning.”
Because of you, families like Tamara’s don’t have to just survive anymore. They can build a beautiful future together — a future full of hope. “Thank you for the opportunity you’ve given me and for everything you have done,” says Tamara.