Meet Latrice, who is a single mother to her 16-year-old daughter, Jasaiah. Latrice is a first-generation college graduate and currently works as a licensed optician. Having grown up in public housing and having to rely on food stamps as a child, she has always yearned for a stable place to call home. However, she has faced unique challenges as a mother to a daughter who has a developmental disability. To meet Jasaiah’s special needs, she must limit her working hours and remain close to her school. These sacrifices have limited her income as an optician, keeping them in public housing for the past 12 years.
When Latrice learned about Manatee County Habitat for Humanity, she applied with hope. Being accepted means breaking her family’s cycle of poverty, providing stability, and creating a legacy as the first homeowner in her family. Her excitement for her upcoming forever home reflects a new chapter filled with possibilities.