When Tara got the call from Habitat for Humanity of Omaha saying she’d been selected to purchase a home, she could hardly believe it – out of more than 100 applicants, she was one of just three selected.

“I almost jumped and hit the ceiling when they called me,” she said. “I was so happy.”

More than 20 years later, Tara, who lives in Bellevue, has paid off the mortgage on her three-bedroom, two-bathroom home, which she shares with her disabled son, Steven.

Tara and her son, Steven.

In 1998, Tara and her four children moved from Mississippi, to Nebraska with the help of a friend. They settled into a low-income apartment in Bellevue. Three years later, in 2001, Tara applied for Habitat Omaha’s Home Journey program. She leased her house until closing in April 2002. Members of her church joined a blitz build to gain Tara additional sweat equity hours.

“I had more hours than I needed, so I shared them with a couple expecting a baby,” Tara said. “It was just a blessing. My children were painting. I was digging trenches. It was an experience I haven’t forgotten.”

Purchasing her own home brought stability for her children, and “the American dream came true for me.” Tara credits the stability of homeownership for her children’s success. Her daughter has a doctorate from Creighton University, one son is a mechanic, and another is a barber.

“It’s like we were saved by moving here,” she said.

The home also aided Steven, who was born with neurofibromatosis type 1, in becoming independent.

“He knows his job. He gets the mail. He takes the garbage out, he brings it back in,” she said. “He has life skills training, and he’s doing so well. He can be independent, but he prefers to stay at home.”

Tara, who works with adults with disabilities, including her son, also found time to write children’s books, inspired by the stories that her mother told her as a child.

In 2020, with help from two of her children and her mother, Tara paid off her mortgage – a moment that meant so much.

“Everybody was happy. I was, too,” she said.

Tara speaks at Legislative Day in Lincoln in 2023.

Since purchasing her home, Tara has been an advocate for Habitat Omaha. She has shared her story at the organization’s Voices in Action meetings and Legislative Day at the Nebraska State Capitol, encouraging others to pursue the path to homeownership.

Two decades after nearly “hitting the ceiling” with joy, Tara now helps others reach that same dream.

“There’s hope,” she said. “You can be where I am today. Work hard and be consistent. Delayed gratification is a good thing.”

From a low-income apartment to a fully paid-off home, Tara’s journey is a testament to what’s possible with hope, hard work and a little help along the way.