A New Chapter: One Family's Story of Success

Eleven years ago, Ocean and David arrived in Olympia with their three young children and almost nothing to their name. The family spent several months in short-term housing provided by a local church, getting around on a single bicycle. They were caught in the exhausting cycle so many families know, spending every ounce of energy on figuring out where they would sleep that night.

"When you don't have that home stability, that's everything," Ocean says. "Taking that off of our shoulders really gave us the time, the space, the energy to better ourselves and better our family."

Homes First helped Ocean and David transition from temporary shelter into permanent affordable housing - that's when everything began to change.

With a safe, stable place to call home, the family could finally look beyond survival and toward the future. Ocean dedicated herself to raising and educating her children while earning an Associate's degree in Paralegal Sciences. David found work through his congregation as a window blinds installer. Year by year, he grew from a part-time employee to a subcontractor, and eventually launched his own installation business, landing a contract with Home Depot.

Their children flourished, too. All three were school-aged when they first walked through the doors of their Homes First home. Today, they are young adults stepping confidently into the world. Mariah, now 23, worked her way up at Anthony's Hearthfire Grill in Olympia from stocking the pantry to supervising the restaurant's opening shifts. Keegan, 18, studies creative writing full time while holding down a job at Jimmy John's. And Aubrey made the bold decision to join the Marines.

"She's taking a big leap," Ocean says proudly. "I think she can do that because she was given a good foundation and stability."

David agrees. "Having a stable place to live is the only reason we've been able to focus on growing as a family and moving forward as a family."

Now, with their children launched and David's business thriving, Ocean and David are ready for their next chapter. They're relocating to Alabama to expand the company, and David has even hired an employee to manage operations back in Washington. After eleven years with Homes First, the family is fulfilling their dream of complete self-sufficiency.

Their story is a testament to what stable housing makes possible: not just a roof overhead, but the freedom to learn, grow, and build a life worth passing on to the next generation.

Yet even as we celebrate this milestone, Homes First faces urgent challenges. In 2025, natural disasters brought flooding, fire, and falling trees that damaged three of our properties. We need to strengthen our reserves to guarantee the long-term safety and stability of every resident who calls a Homes First property home. Community donations help us cover critical repairs and ongoing maintenance so that more families like Ocean and David's can write their own success stories.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, all donations to Homes First are tax-deductible. Your generosity makes these transformations possible.

As Ocean and David said simply: "Thank you."