Tiffany Douglas is about to achieve one of her life goals. At 24 years old, she is moving into her own home—a foundation to build upon for her daughter, Londyn (center), and her sister, Stephanie (left). In her young life, Tiffany has already accomplished a lot—graduating from high school at 16 years old, earning an associates degree at 19 and receiving her B.A. with a concentration in jurisprudence when she was 22 years old. When asked about the jurisprudence major, Tiffany explains, “ I have always wanted to be a lawyer ever since I was in elementary school. My dad kept getting into trouble and my dream was to become a lawyer and defend him in a court of law.”
As she completed her education and began working for Chubb Insurance in the business division, Tiffany also began caring for her younger sister. Stephanie has lived with Tiffany for the past five years, ever since she was 16 years of age. It is clear, when you talk to Tiffany, that she is the stable center of her family. She has learned how to set goals and achieve them. “ I just stay busy and I stay focused. I have built a sense of responsibility. I know if I don’t do it, it won’t get done.”
Tiffany found Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake in her own unique way—with her eyes on a goal and the determination to reach it. “I was riding through Pigtown (Washington Village) one day and I saw these beautiful houses. I thought to myself, ‘I want to live here.’ Just then Dana Gaither came out of her house. I stopped and asked her whether there was an association or entity I could talk to about getting a house like hers.” Dana directed Tiffany to Habitat for Humanity. Tiffany attended the very next orientation and decided that Habitat’s homebuyer program would work for her.
She applied, was accepted, and began to invest time in her journey toward homeownership. “I worked in the office some, and I went to all the different construction sites in Baltimore. Stephanie came out on site with me a couple of times as well. That’s when I learned that, even though I love Ward Street (in Washington Village), the houses are too small for all three of us. So I chose Jefferson Street—for the houses and the neighborhood.”
You can tell, when you talk to her, that Tiffany is going to be a great asset to her new neighborhood and to her neighbors. “I want to show people, especially people my age, that it’s possible to own a home. I wasn’t sure it would be possible, but it is happening now. That’s what Habitat does. You see other people have become homeowners.”
Is the rest of the family excited for Tiffany? Daughter Londyn, who is seven years old, “is ready to move in today and have a room of her own. She is already asking for a dog. For me, I just want a backyard where I can sit and have some quiet, some tranquility, some peace of mind.” Tiffany says her whole family is very proud that she is about to become a homeowner, “the whole family, my grandparents, my parents, my cousins, even my aunts and uncles.”
Now that she has achieved her goal of owning a home, we have to ask what’s next. “I hope to go to law school and become a lawyer, like I’ve always wanted to be.” We wish Tiffany every success as she continues to reach for new goals and help the people around her to reach for goals of their own.
