Emani | A Chair-ity Success Story

Emani, 23, just moved into her first apartment. Since age 17 she has been living a transient life, couch-surfing or living with friends. Between her years in foster care and couch-surfing, she has never known the stability of having a space for herself and her now 3-year-old daughter. Due to the instability, her daughter could not always live with her, staying with relatives for periods. They have lost many of their personal belongings in the various moves, with no long-term storage options available. The stars aligned and she found this apartment through a coworker. After many months of saving, finally, she moved in, but she wasn’t sure how she would furnish the apartment before Chair-ity came into her life. She revealed that she didn’t quite have a plan on how she would furnish the space. She hoped to get hand-me-downs from friends or buy what she could here and there until it came together. With Chair-ity's help, the burden of furnishing her place is gone. Now, she says she can focus her money on other essentials like bills, clothing, toys, and food for her daughter now that they can finally live together without fear of another move.

“My apartment means home to me,” Emani told Chair-ity. “I never had my own home. Nothing at all, no guidance. I’ve always wanted a home because I wanted my daughter with me. I want her to have the best of everything in the world, and I want her to know that I’ve been working so hard to get her whatever she wants and needs and be the best mom that I can be. I did this for her, not for me.”

Emani’s sights are set on getting her driver’s license and starting her nursing career. Thanks to one of Chair-ity’s community partners, she now has her driving permit! She is well on her way to pursuing her dreams, and we are so proud of her for the great strides she has already made. Emani is truly a ray of sunshine, and we have no doubt she will have a successful future!