“My house will be my forever home.”
Sherkela Hatcher has built her life on hard work, dedication, and love for her family. For more than five years, she has worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant with Suncoast Pace, providing compassion and care to her patients each day. She also completed training at Lincoln Tech, where she earned her certification as a Medical Assistant. While her professional work is rewarding, Sherkela says her proudest role is being a mother to her son, Ahmad.
Ahmad is six years old and full of personality. He loves sports—especially football and basketball—and enjoys fishing when he gets the chance. Sherkela describes him as energetic, curious, and always ready to try new things. Together, they share a close bond, and Ahmad is the reason Sherkela pushes herself to reach new goals. “I’m a hardworking single mom, and everything I do is for my son,” she says.
For years, Sherkela and Ahmad have lived in a small home on a busy road, where unsafe conditions made it difficult to feel truly secure. She longed for a safe, stable space where her son could grow and thrive. When she learned she had been accepted into the Habitat program, Sherkela was overcome with emotion. “I cried tears of joy—it was such a relief,” she remembers.
With her future Habitat home, Sherkela looks forward to providing Ahmad with something she never had growing up: a forever home. She dreams of the day they can enjoy family dinners, peaceful nights, and the pride of knowing the house is theirs. “My house will be my forever home and my safe place,” she says. For Sherkela, this is about more than just a house—it’s about creating stability and breaking cycles. “Habitat is a gift from God because it’s allowing me to break a generational curse.”
