Inspired by our belief in building a strong community, we founded First Story to help deserving individuals and families in need achieve the dream of home ownership.
Since Hayden Homes founded First Story in 1998, the nonprofit has served over 117 families through new home ownership opportunities in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana. When you choose to purchase a Hayden Home, you are helping to provide a family the opportunity for homeownership.
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Jesus & Flor – Medford, OR
Jesus, Flor and their two young kids were living in a trailer, dreaming of a home to call their own. Their generosity in always extending financial help to struggling family members meant that they had no savings for a down payment. Jesus and Flor learned there was still hope after connecting with ACCESS of Jackson County for homeownership education and financial counseling. Through First Story, and with the help of ACCESS, Jesus and Flor became the first in their families to own a home!
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Jonathan & Chantel – Spokane, WA
Jonathan and Chantel kept telling their two kids that their forever home would happen “someday.” With Jonathan working full time and Chantel going back to school for her Bachelor degree, it felt like they were making strides. However, with rising home costs and interest rates, Jonathan and Chantel felt their “someday” slipping further and further away. First Story’s affordable home loan program was exactly the hand up this young family needed to move into a safe, stable neighborhood and achieve their dreams.
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Christopher & April – Caldwell, ID
There are some people who remain positive and hopeful no matter what life throws their way – Chris and April are those people. After losing their rental home and a string of moves, Chris and April were homeless and had to split up their family, sending their three kids to live with grandparents. April then received a cancer diagnosis and it seemed as though homeownership was permanently out of reach. Chris and April reached out to NeighborWorks Boise for guidance, found out about First Story, and now their family is back together in a home of their very own!
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Crystal – Moxee, WA
Some roads are harder than others, but Crystal will tell you the reward is worth the effort. Crystal is a single mother of three and overcame struggles with substance abuse and trauma to provide a better life for her kids. After in-patient treatment, Crystal worked with a community resource provider to move her family from the streets, to transitional housing, to an apartment. Then, with the support and education of the Yakima Housing Authority, into a First Story home.
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Carly & Michael – Kuna, ID
Carly & Michael both had childhoods filled with more struggles than love – something they knew they didn’t want for their two boys. So, after years of renting, they connected with NeighborWorks Boise and began their journey to homeownership. However, the road was bumpier than they expected. As prices skyrocketed, a down payment became out of reach. First Story’s affordable loan program helped this family achieve their dreams.
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Angela – Spokane, WA
There are positive people and then there is Angela. Her optimism is contagious and she’s always fighting for her family. After seeing a news piece about First Story, Angela jumped at the chance to apply for a forever home for her four kids. A home would be truly life changing, especially for one of her daughters who experiences blindness and needs a safe neighborhood and backyard for her guide dog. Now this bubbly single-mom has a beautiful garden in a charming community to share with her family.
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Kate – Redmond, OR
Kate is a loving single mom to her daughter and impassioned social services worker. Although Kate dedicated her professional life to helping other families achieve stability, homeownership for her family seemed out of reach. After connecting with First Story and realizing her potential, Kate and her daughter moved into a home of their very own.
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Jonathan and Ana – Bend, OR
Jonathan and Ana met in high school after their families immigrated to the U.S. They mastered English, gained citizenship, secured stable jobs and then started a family. They never dared to dream of owning a home until they enrolled in NeighborImpact’s homeownership education program. After four years of hard work, Jonathan and Ana became the first in their families to own a home and moved in with their three young boys.
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Randall, Jazmine & Sebastian – Sisters, OR
Randall and Jazmine’s love story began in Sisters when they both worked for Three Creeks Brewing. Now parents to Sebastian (and a couple of fur babies!) they began looking for more permanent housing to support their growing family. Worried that they would be priced out of the town they’ve called home nearly their whole lives, Randall and Jazmine connected with First Story housing partner NeighborImpact to explore their options and turned the key on their First Story home in 2021.
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Kasidee, Dawson & Walker – Veneta, OR
Kasidee is a single mother of two kind, fearless little boys. She was a stay –at-home mom for four years until she separated from her ex-husband. Kasidee took the hardest day of her life and turned it into positive change for her and her family by taking control of her story and moving her family into a First Story home where her boys can ride their bikes outside, have their own rooms, and live close to their grandparents.
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Sarah, Jaden, Jude & Rylan – Rathdrum, ID
Sarah is a dedicated and loving single mom to her three boys. After years of moving apartments, Sarah decided her family needed a permanent place to call home but was worried homeownership was out of reach on her single income. With their First Story home, Sarah and her boys have a place to grow, play and explore the great outdoors!
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Nicole, Nakeyah & Jevon – Caldwell, ID
Nicole knew she wanted to achieve homeownership for herself and her family but her credit score was holding her back. Nicole reached out to First Story’s housing partner, NeighborWorks Boise, for a helping hand and with a lot of hard work she was able to switch jobs to find higher pay, decrease her debt, and secure her own rental before becoming a First Story homeowner.
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Jacob and Jenny – Sisters, OR
Jacob and Jenny have been doing everything they can to raise their family in Jacob’s hometown of Sisters. Jacob has a good job, almost no debt and they operate on a very strict budget. Even so, living in Sisters meant the family of five sharing one room in Grandma’s house. So, they made the tough decision to move, but are now thrilled to call Sisters home.
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Debbie and Nate – Sisters, OR
Debbie and her partner Nate have been dreaming and working towards owning a home for almost 20 years. They postponed getting married, they switched jobs and they saved every extra penny that came their way. As they inched closer, Nate was struck in a devastating hit and run which left him with brain trauma and physical injuries that now restrict his ability to work. He embraces the time as a stay at home dad for their daughter, but the lack of income made owning a home seem impossible. Nate is now so excited to raise his daughter where he was raised – Sisters, Oregon.
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Nathaniel – Sisters, OR
Single-dad, Nathaniel, works hard day in and day out to provide the best life for his son, Conner. Connor only knows apartment living and Nathaniel was ready to change that. They are avid Frisbee golf players and are so excited to live in walking distance to their favorite course – Sisters!
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Marissa – Caldwell, ID
Marissa has two daughters, a job, and a community she loves. But, after the death of her mom, she realized her family needed a home to love. So she started to make some changes that lead her to NeighborWorks’ Home Buyer program. She completed all of the classes, reduced her debt, started paying off her student loan, and began saving. Now, Marissa and her daughters are ready to start making memories in their new home!
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David and Rhandi – Liberty Park, OR
David served two tours in the U.S. Army (one in Iraq and one in Afghanistan). He was forced to medically retire from the military due to physical and mental injuries he sustained during his final tour. Unfortunately, his medical condition now requires full-time care from his wife, Rhandi, who also home schools two of their three children. David participates in extensive treatment in hopes of one day getting back to a ‘normal” life. In the meantime, his parents are there to help support his family every step of the way and the forever home that they now live in, through First Story, is a game changer for this deserving family! Welcome home!
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Kimmie – Bend, OR
We are excited to introduce you to Kimmie and her son. This hard-working mom manages two jobs while raising her 5-year-old son, Liam. They were first referred to First Story in 2017. At that time, Kimmie had just finished cancer treatment and was so thankful to be cancer-free, but also scared for the future. She had depleted her savings to pay her medical bills and homeownership seemed impossible. However, she heard about First Story’s Grant House program and decided to enroll in Neighbor Impact’s Home Source Program to learn about better budgeting, how to reduce her debt, and one-day she dreamt of being a homeowner. We are thrilled that, that special day arrived for her and Liam in 2019!
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Nathan – Kennewick, WA
After six years of service in the U.S. Air Force, Nathan decided to return to his home town to lay down permanent roots. Nathan is participating in a pilot program from the armed services to help place veterans in permanent jobs after their service. He is excited to learn a new trade at Columbia Marble and Glass and integrate back into “normal” society. First Story is proud to have been able to help this veteran and his girlfriend start a new beginning together in their new First Story home.
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Amye – Cheney, WA
Meet Amye, a first grade teacher in Cheney school district, who’s been living studying and loving the Cheney community for a decade. Until now, her meager teacher salary would not afford her to buy a home of her own until now through First Story!
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Karisa – Medford, OR
Karisa grew up in Southern Oregon and is a single-mom of a spunky daughter. Karisa works very hard as a medical assistant to provide financially for her family, but due to rising rent costs she was forced to move a dozen times. Her First Story home is finally a chance to secure stability for her daughter. We are thrilled for Karisa and her daughter to begin this new journey in their lives.
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Shelly – Post Falls, ID
Shelly is a busy single-mom of two teenagers and a postal worker in the Inland NW. In 2012, she removed her kids from an abusive household with an alcoholic husband and started over. Her First Story home is a testament to her hard work and confirmation that her family is on solid ground. We are excited to welcome Shelly and her family to their new home!
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Nalani – College Place, WA
Nalani was born with a spinal condition which makes it difficult for her to walk and to stand on her own, but you wouldn’t know it by talking with her. This incredibly positive single-mom of two boys never stops smiling. She works tirelessly to give her boys the opportunities she never had. Her youngest son has functioning autism, so Nalani’s new First Story home means he can finally have a therapy dog!
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Lisa – Springfield, OR
Lisa spent most of her childhood homeless traveling around with her Mom splitting time between couches and shelters. A single-mom of a teenage girl she was determined to provide a different life for her daughter. Lisa’s hard work paid off and in 2018 she moved into her First Story home. We want to welcome Lisa to her new home!
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Gilberto – Caldwell, ID
Gilberto is an impressive young man. His parents moved him and his three siblings from Mexico to Idaho to give them a chance at an education and a better life. Gilberto learned English, an engineering degree and became a U.S. Citizen. He moved out of his parent’s home where he shared a bedroom with his brothers and into his First Story home in 2018.
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Rachel & Colten – Richland, WA
Meet Rachel and Colten, newly enganged. Rachel was born and raised in Richland, WA. She is a 3rd grade teacher at a Title 1 school in Kennewick. She always wanted to be an elementary school teacher and is passionate about being in a classroom with a high percentage of low-income students. Colton is just finishing 5 years in the Canadian army and is moving to Richland to marry Rachel and start their family.
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Chari & Bryan – Albany, OR
Chari and her 15-year old son Legend have been through a lot. Legend’s father was physically and mentally abusive and left both emotionally scarred and scared. Out of concern for her autistic son, Chari reached out to the Linn-Benton Housing Authority to get the help she needed to provide a better life for Legend. Eight years later she is debt-free, has earned a degree, has a good job and is in a healthy long-term relationship with Bryan who she shares a daughter with.
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Jillian – Boise, ID
Jillian is a Freelance Writer, proud mother of 2 high energy toddlers and a graduate of NeighborWorks Homeowner-ship Program for Financial Fitness and Coaching. She faced enormous tragedy at a young age and dealt with emotional abuse most of her adult life. After being abandoned with a son to raise, Jillian made the decision to go back to school, earn a degree and provide for her young family. She landed a great job at NeighborWorks and quickly realized that with some hard-work and discipline she too could be a home owner one day.
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Yancy – Redmond, OR
Yancy’s co-workers describe her as hard working, independent and frugal. Two years ago she decided to make homeownership a goal so she enrolled in NeighborImpact’s Financial Fitness/Homeownership Readines Program. Later this year she will graduate and celebrate the completion of their Dreamsaver Match Program which helps individuals save for homeownership. As a single-woman Yancy has had difficulty finding outside support, so she knew it was up to her to build a stable financial foundation to grow from. Yancy manages Heart of Oregon’s Summer Program which engages 75 at-risk youth in educational and life skills courses. She loves to garden and spend time with her nieces and nephews who live in Redmond.
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Casey & Thunder – Springfield, OR
Meet Casey and her son, Thunder, who have been selected for the First Story home in Springfield, Oregon. This 2016 home recipient was referred to First Story’s Home Buyer Program by the Housing & Community Services Agency (HACSA) of Lane County. First Story & HACSA have worked together to help lower-income families in need find affordable housing. In her past, this young, single-mom was making decisions she now regrets. Once she realized the destructive path she was on was hurting her son, she focused all of her efforts on building a future for him. She successfully completed HACSA’s Family Self- Sufficiency Program and has been working hard for the past 5 years to build a better life for her son. She can’t wait to actually have a home to call their own. A home to plant roots…literally!
View the First Story: Dedication Song to Single Moms video.
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Lindsey – Spokane, WA
Lindsey is a kindergarten teacher in the Cheney School District at Windsor Elementary. She just got engaged to long-time boyfriend, Jeff Galpin. They had postponed getting married in order to save enough money to buy a home. “I’m just so unbelievably grateful for this opportunity First Story and Hayden Homes are providing,” Lindsay said when she got her keys. “Without them, I know I wouldn’t be in a position to purchase a home for a long time. Now, Jeff and I can get married, start a family, and make many happy memories here.”
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Ashuly & Oliver – Redmond, OR
This inaugural First Story ONEbuild recipient is a single mom to a two-year old boy, a massage therapist & licensed midwife. She and her son currently live in Redmond with Ashuly’s parents, sharing a single bedroom- and bed! She chose this living situation so she could save enough money to eventually put a down payment on a home of her own. She enrolled in Neighborhood Impact’s Housing Program and started an IDA matching savings account and completed a series of classes designed to prepare her for home ownership. She is so excited about, not just the home, but being a part of the entire ONEbuild experience!
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David, Melissa, Caleb & Josiah – Rathdrum, ID
Melissa was diagnosed with Paranoid Schizophrenia shortly after graduating high school. She delayed going to college for treatment and in that time met Dave who would support & inspire her and later ask her to marry him. After 13 years of drug laded treatments she became pregnant with their first child and decided to take her health in to her own hands. Instead of drugs, she turned nutrition and a healthy life style void of things poisoning her body. She is now healed of a disorder that she was told she would never escape. She also finished her college degree, went on to complete a Master’s of Philosophy, had her second child and celebrated her 10th wedding anniversary in 2015.
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Cathi, Kaleb, and Ashley – Springfield, OR
Cathi’s contagious energy and captivating smile is evident the minute you meet her. This single-working mother of two and recent college graduate has worked very hard and overcome a lot of adversity in her life to provide a safe and loving environment for her family.
We proudly welcomed Cathi, her 13-year old son Kaleb and 8-year-old daughter Ashley into our First Story family in September, 2015. “It was really exciting and overwhelming and amazing all together,” said Cathi. Her 3 Bed, 2 Bath home marked the 28th home built in partnership with Hayden Homes. “When Hayden gave me the house key, I held it for three hours. I had watched it being built all the way. I had been packing like crazy. But none of it seemed to be real until Hayden gave me the key. I realized, ‘Now I can move in.’ My son was pretty emotional at the dedication. We’re all very grateful. We’ve been through a lot.” I look forward to watching our community grow and seeing my kids playing next door with my neighbor’s kids. I used to think I would wake up and it would all be a dream. But, now I know it is actually a dream come true!”
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Matthew, Evelyn, Owen, Aaron & Megan – Kennewick, WA
The McGetricks were like any young growing family spending their nights and weekends building blanket forts in the living room of the home they rented in the Tri-Cities. They dreamed of one day owning their own home, but on one income and with student loans to pay off they thought that dream may never come true. Matthew has a stable job at the Department of Corrections and Michelle, while raising their four kids and attending nursing school, has had an even greater impact on their family. Matthew wrote in their application, “Michelle is the glue that holds our family together, the grease in our wheels that keeps us moving forward and the one who sets the example for the softness and love we strive to surround our children with every day.”
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Sherry, Elijah, Asher & Mayah – Bend, OR
Sherry and her three children are survivors. Sherry spent years struggling to find a safe and loving community for her son’s Elijah & Asher and her daughter Mayah. “Owning our own home has been a mere fantasy,” Sherry wrote in her home ownership application. “Bend has been a blessing to my kids and me and First Story will allow us to live here forever.” They moved in to their home in Shady Pines in 2012. Sherry is a small business owner of Mindful Healing. In addition to being skilled in holistic soft tissue techniques and treatments, she is a Positive Life Coach with a passion to provide self-empowerment to help young women balance home, school and private life.
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Ignacia, Maria, Guadalupe, Julio, Eric & Alyah – Pasco, WA
Maria and Ignacio emigrated to the United States in 1989 in search of the American Dream. They made the Tri-Cities their home, started a family and began working at Broetje Orchards. They have worked as packers at the Orchards for over 20 years putting their two eldest sons through college. Their daughter Alyah plans to follow in her older brothers’ footsteps and eventually work for the U.S. Forest Service.
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Kenneth, Jolene, Jeremiah & Kaylene – Kennewick, WA
In 2010, Kenny and Jolene made the tough financial decision when they had their first child Jeremiah; that she would do the important job of stay at home Mom. Kenny had just earned his Master’s Degree in Teaching, but had not secured a full-time teaching position. It was a very difficult couple of years struggling to make ends meet, but they felt it was important to sacrifice material things in order for Jolene to raise their son. In 2012, Kenny secured a teaching position in the Columbia School District and they began to dream of one day owning a home. But, with school loans and one income, it was a dream that seemed would never come true.
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Erin, Benjamin & Jacob – Bend, OR
Erin was born and raised in Bend. After leaving an abusive marriage, she decided to move back and raise her kids in Central Oregon. First Story met the single-mom through the Sparrow Club. Sparrow Club was assisting the family with medical costs associated with the treatment of Ben’s Neurofibromatosis. Neurofibromatosis is a genetically-inherited disease in which nerve tissue grows tumors; in Ben’s case he has tumors encompassing his abdominal area and spinal cord causing extensive pain and damage. Both sons have graduated from Mt. View High School and are pursuing careers locally. Erin’s parents and brother also live in Central Oregon.
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Annett & Dylan – Walla Walla, WA
Annett has an inspiring story of hope and healing. Eight years ago she went from homelessness and hopelessness to becoming a homeowner and starting her own organization, Hope Heals, with a mission of spreading hope, love, and kindness to those in need. Annett moved into her First Story home in Prospect Terrace in Walla Walla in 2009. She and her son Dylan drove to the dedication ceremony in the RV and literally traded the keys to the RV for her new Hayden Home. Click here for a story written about Annett, and click here for more about Hope Heals.
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Desiree, Cody & Brendan, Veneta, OR
Desiree is proud of her tight-knit and affectionate family. As a single-mom working full-time and raising two boys, her family worked together to help each other and share responsibilities. Family was at the heart of every decision Desiree made. She dreamed of owning a home for the stability and safety it would provide, but she was afraid she would never afford one on her single income. So, when she learned about First Story she jumped on the opportunity and applied for a home in Veneta, where the boys’ grandparents also live.