Garza Family

Ashley has worked at Texas Roadhouse for nearly 11 years while raising her three children, Sophia (14), Benji (8), and her youngest (2).

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In 2024, the home Ashley was renting was sold. Although she was initially told she could remain, the new owner required her to move out. Ashley and her children first stayed with her mother, but overcrowding created tension. They then moved in with her grandmother. While the environment is calmer, the home is still crowded, and safety is a concern, with gunshots sometimes heard nearby.

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Ashley learned about Habitat’s homeownership program through a former partner family who encouraged her to apply. When she received the call that she had been accepted, she was shocked and excited—she hadn’t believed she would qualify.

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Ashley is motivated by a desire to provide stability and safety for her children. She looks forward to having a quality, permanent home and the sense of accomplishment that comes with homeownership.

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She has especially enjoyed working on the construction site, discovering a passion for hands-on teamwork, particularly helping set trusses. She also values the financial literacy and homeownership classes, where she has learned about budgeting, credit, and preparing for unexpected expenses.

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Ashley appreciates the Habitat volunteers, especially Duane and Mary, and shared, “I want to be like them one day.”

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As a family, they enjoy spending time outdoors, visiting parks, kayaking, and having movie nights together. Ashley also enjoys crafting, particularly making front porch “Welcome Home” signs, and looks forward to creating one for her own house.

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She often recommends the program to others and describes the experience as rewarding. Ashley is excited for a future where she can sit on her front porch with a cup of coffee, watch her children play, garden, and teach them how to bake—all in a place they can finally call home.