“My house will be the best accomplishment I have ever done.”
Shameka Davis is a resident administrative coordinator at La Orilla of St. Pete. This mother of two young ladies – Imani Reed (18) and Arianah Reed (17) – stays busy by putting her time and energy into her family. She prides herself on offering unwavering support to her daughters and reminds them to stick together through life’s ups and downs. “We are extremely close-knit,” said Shameka. “We work hard every day to uplift each other and the support we give is unmatched.”
Shameka has overcome her share of challenges. As a person with epilepsy, she has always been mindful of how to handle certain situations due to seizures and other physical setbacks. Unfortunately, her living conditions have not been accommodating to her needs. “Where we live presents a lot of scary moments,” said Shameka. “Aside from dealing with an uneven foundation and stairs, I also encounter the high rent with little care to resolve issues around our living conditions.” Shameka mentioned how her area has become unsafe due to a rise in crime and with windows and doors that do not properly close all the way, she is worried those factors could invite intruders.
For Shameka and her daughters, applying to the Habitat homeownership program was the first step to ending these problems. Shameka had some work to do during her prequalification phase. After taking the advice of Habitat’s homeowner services team, and making some adjustments, the third time was the charm for this family. When Shameka got accepted into the program on August 22, 2023, she couldn’t believe what was happening. “The CEO, Mike Sutton, was standing in front of all these Habitat employees and he told me I was accepted into the program,” recalled Shameka. “I was plenty shocked but also so grateful. I thought it was a dream.”
Shameka has enjoyed learning about being a successful homeowner through Habitat’s 36 homebuyer education classes and putting in sweat equity on Habitat construction sites. “I love seeing how the homes are built and meeting all the families in the program going through what I am going through. There is a whole support system, and we know how amazing this opportunity is for us and we will not fail. We are set up to succeed. This program does not let you fail.”
The Davis Family has come a long way and is now on the doorstep of changing the trajectory of their lives forever with this Habitat Home. “This will be a stable life for me and my family,” said Shameka. This home will have love, joy, and peace of mind.” Shameka and her daughters know this journey is not possible without the support of so many Habitat volunteers who come and swing a hammer to help build these homes. Shameka encourages everyone to get involved and volunteer with Habitat. “This mission is so special and the volunteers who help build these homes are amazing,” said Shameka. “They put their heart into these homes just like us Homeowner Candidates. They want these homes to be perfect.” Sign up here for your volunteer shift.
Shameka and her family are ready to open the door to their forever home and to a future filled with endless possibilities. “Habitat for Humanity is hope and love and homes,” said Shameka. “But most of all it is community. No one goes through this journey alone. Knowing that makes me feel unstoppable.”
