Then & Now: Amber's Story

Homeowner: July 2011

“Being a single mom, I always worried about the future. Working in the childcare field, I wasn’t making as much money as others,” Amber said.

Amber dreamed of giving her daughter a home with a backyard to play in and have neighborhood friends.

“In July 2006, I set a 5-year goal for myself. I wanted to become a homeowner,” she said. “When I signed (on) the house, it was 5 years to the day. It’s crazy that I became a homeowner right on the anniversary.”

“Everything began to fall into place after I moved into my new home. I felt more confident and comfortable. I was finally able to focus on my daughter and create memories with her,” she said.

Today, Amber has paid off all her debt and credits Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley.

“I’m now able to set money aside for retirement, and my bills are shockingly low. I’m always surprised to see how cheap and consistent my DTE bill is,” she said. “Before purchasing my Habitat home, I wasn’t sure if living in Ann Arbor was possible. I grew up in a small town and didn’t want to move too far away from that. I just had to prepare myself for the worst as rent goes up higher, but now I feel freedom. I don’t have to worry about many things anymore. Things I worry about now is if the lawn will be mowed by Monday, silly things like that.”

Paying it forward

Owning her home has given Amber more time to spend with her daughter. The duo have enjoyed making new neighborhood friends without worrying about constantly packing things up and moving.

“The stability has been great, knowing this is home and will always be home,” she said. “My daughter has learned as she’s gotten older what goes into owning a home. She learns to be responsible. I’ve began teaching her some of the tricks I learned through the Habitat classes, like how not to get caught up and save money for when something happens.”

Since moving into her Habitat home, Amber opened a small childcare business.

“In June 2013, the idea crossed my mind. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to follow through with it, but my Dad told me, ‘go for it.’ We worked for 9 months and the idea became a reality,” she said.

Amber is now a licensed childcare professional and works with the the University of Michigan childcare program to provide care to U-M students and staff. She oversees 12 children and two full-time employees. It warms Amber knowing that as many as 76 kids have come through her doors.

“One of my favorite memories in this house was working with my Dad to make the business happen.

We opened up a deck and built a sandbox in the backyard. It was wonderful working with my dad every day, knowing he was helping me prepare for the future,” she said.

As Amber settled into her neighborhood, she made community ties that have left a positive impact. She worked with neighbors to put rain gardens in yards and began a neighborhood watch group to ensure safety.

“We’ve built a small community in the neighborhood. Two summers ago, three other families and mine started having block parties and telling neighbors to pull out their grills and get to know one another,” she said. “We watch out for everyone, not just the kids. Especially with COVID-19, we’ve been helping the elderly, giving them support and assistance if needed.”

Amber’s 5-year goal allowed her to create a special home not only for her family, but for countless children, and provided a positive impact on her community. She loves being able to employ people in her community and running the childcare business in her home to help give back. As a final remark for Habitat and future Habitat families, Amber said, “just go for it! Being nervous is okay when you start the program. The growth from start to finish is amazing.”

Amber’s home was sponsored in 2010-11 by the University of Michigan Campus Chapter and the University of Michigan Ross School of Business students.