Kayi and Folly are in desperate need of more space. For nine years, the family has lived in a two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment. The couple’s three children, ages 3 to

11, are accustomed to hearing gunshots in their neighborhood and go hide in the bedroom says Kayi. Their current apartment complex does not have a play area and the children feel unsafe outside. The family is very excited about the possibility of a safer environment.

Kayi works weekends through a staffing agency at Wilson Sporting Goods in Mt. Juliet. Folly works as a valet attendant for ABM parking at the airport. The couple believes Middle Tennessee a good place to raise their children but they need an affordable, safe place to live. Area home prices compared to their income level hinders them from qualifying for a traditional mortgage even with their good credit.

“Almost every night we hear gunshots, police, and ambulance because something bad always happens. We don’t feel safe here anymore,” says Kayi. The couple applied for a Habitat for Humanity home and qualified. They are taking Habitat’s homeownership classes and are excited to build their home with sponsors and volunteers. “Buying a Habitat home is like winning the lotto. It is a blessing and it makes our dreams come true,” says Kayi. To their sponsors, Folly says, “Thank you for giving us an opportunity to give my family a place to call home."