In 2014, I graduated from Queens University with a B.S. in Biology, dreaming of attending Physician Assistant school. To get there, I needed 500 hours of clinical experience, and I chose the path of working with EMS in Cabarrus County. That decision changed my life.
Serving as a paramedic, I found a second family—co-workers who understood the physical, mental, and emotional weight we carried after every call. We leaned on each other in ways few people outside that world can’t understand. Each shift taught me something new, and each life saved added another layer of meaning to the work. But something else stayed with me, too—something harder to shake.
Time and again, I saw patients living in heartbreaking conditions: homes infested with bugs, no electricity, no running water, hoarding that made walking dangerous. Many of these patients would be discharged from the hospital only to call us again within 24 to 48 hours. It was a cycle of suffering. And I often wondered, what if someone cared enough to step in? What if someone cleaned up their homes, offered them a fresh start, and showed them God’s love? Could their lives change?
Fast forward to 2019, after becoming a new mom, I made the difficult decision to leave EMS. Night shifts were no longer sustainable for my health or my family. Real estate had been woven into my story from the start—my father, mother, stepfather, and brother all worked in various parts of the building and construction industry. It felt natural, almost inevitable, to get my real estate license.
Today, being a real estate professional allows me to serve people in a deeply meaningful way—educating, advocating, guiding them into the next chapter of their lives. I love what I do. But God wasn’t done shaping my story yet.
In 2023, sitting in church listening to a sermon about Jonah, God spoke clearly to my heart. Jonah was called to Nineveh to preach against its wickedness, but he ran—doubting whether he was qualified or ready. I understood that fear deeply. I often asked myself: Are you sure this is the right path? Is this really what I’m meant to do?
But God’s plans never change—only our surrender to them does.
My notes that day, September 24, 2023, read:
- God’s plan never changes; the only thing that changes is my surrender to His plan.
- Run with God. Be different. Be the change and share God’s love.
- I am created for something BIG and impactful, here to change hearts to serve.
- Be obedient to God through His Word and vision.
I scribbled ideas that would soon become a calling: Heart & Home Foundation. Nonprofit. Creating a sacred space in your home. Surrender. Speak. Yield. God will provide and keep doors open.
God continued pressing this mission on my heart, gently but firmly asking: When are you going to start?
By mid-2024, I met with an attorney, prayed over potential board members, and officially started the legal groundwork. I also wrestled with the name. “Heart & Home Foundation” was close to my heart, but it didn’t feel big enough for what I knew God was calling me to create.
I prayed for two weeks and one morning, the name Homeward Foundation came to me. It was bold. Strong. Purposeful. And when I checked to see if it was available—it was! A clear God wink.
Homeward Foundation was born out of faith, built with love, and powered by the desire to serve others exactly where they are—restoring homes, renewing hope, and reviving hearts.
This mission isn’t mine alone. It’s a movement. It’s about neighbors serving neighbors. It’s about showing up with a hammer in one hand and a Bible in the other, building homes and lives on a true foundation: faith, hope, and healing.
