“FINALLY, I can continue my journey and achieve my dreams of becoming a homeowner.”
Inesha Ethridge is a dedicated caregiver who pours her heart into helping others every day. She works as a Program Aide (CNA) with Empath Health and as a Home Health Aide with Southern Comfort Home Care, roles she has held for several years. Her commitment to her work is rooted in the values she learned growing up in a close, hardworking family. Raised in a two‑parent household with five siblings, Inesha watched both of her parents work multiple jobs to provide for their six children. Her father, especially, taught her that strength and responsibility aren’t defined by gender as he cooked meals, ironed clothes, did the laundry, cleaned floors, and even did his daughters’ hair. Together, her parents created a home full of teamwork, love, and perseverance.
Inesha moved out at 19 and lived in her first apartment for more than ten years before rising rent costs forced her to relocate. When over half of her income went to rent, she knew she needed a new plan. Inesha’s mother offered a solution: move into her rental home and save aggressively toward buying a house of her own. The plan worked beautifully at first but after just three months, the landlord abruptly decided to sell the home, giving them only 30 days to leave. Losing the house that held so many family memories—including being the last home Inesha’s father shared with them before he passed—was emotionally devastating. She and her mother scrambled to find housing and eventually secured a small 2/2 tri‑plex with rent far higher than expected. Space became tight, and the pressure of saving for a home became even more challenging.
Still, Inesha refused to give up. She tried working with a realtor, but the homes she qualified for required extensive repairs and didn’t feel truly livable. Exhausted and discouraged, she paused to catch her breath—and during that moment, she decided to apply for Habitat for Humanity. This time, she was accepted.
For Inesha, the acceptance meant everything. “FINALLY I can continue my journey, hopes, and achieve my dreams of becoming a homeowner,” she says. A Habitat home represents affordability, stability, and the chance to stop working herself to exhaustion just to stay afloat. She looks forward to having a place where she can breathe, reset, and “get back to me.” Most of all, she is grateful for the opportunity to create a safe, comfortable home she can manage without sacrificing her well‑being.
This home is sponsored by
