2024 Bus Driver of the Year “Miss Jody” is next partner for Habitat’s second Women Build house

A decade ago, Jody Decker wanted to spend more time with her adult children and

grandchildren, so she followed her son to Virginia from Akron, Ohio.

An experienced bus driver, Decker was hired by Powhatan County Schools, and she

also found a part-time job at Lowe’s. Decker’s desire was to buy a small home where

her grandchildren could play in the yard, but she needed to acclimate to her new county,

so that meant an apartment first.

At the beginning of 2020, Decker was ready to start her house hunting, but a double

whammy occurred: Covid-19 and rapidly rising real estate prices. Each home she had

been interested in had become too expensive or she lost out to higher bidders.

After three years of searching unsuccessfully, Decker was encouraged by her county

co-workers to apply to Habitat-Powhatan’s homeownership program in May 2023. “They

told me, ‘You haven’t gotten a house yet, what do you have to lose?’ ” Decker said.

Following the encouragement of her friends paid off. Decker qualified for the Habitat

program, which requires having lived or worked in the county for a minimum of a year,

getting approved for a lower-interest rural loan through USDA and performing 200 hours

of sweat equity volunteer hours. Decker was one of two families to be finally selected

through Habitat in early 2024.

“It’s an unbelievable miracle to me and a new beginning” said Decker, who can’t wait to

have family get-togethers with her five grandchildren at her new home. “I will finally

have stability.”

Decker also can’t wait to work with the Women Build team volunteers on her modular

home, which is scheduled to arrive on March 26 and be placed on its foundation by

crane. “There is a such a goodness and kindness I see in all the Habitat volunteers,”

said Decker, who also has been volunteering at the ReStore.

Women Build teams made of four or eight members will work on 15 different projects to

complete Decker’s home in April. Women Build participation is open to everyone, but it

is a way for more women to gain building skills and to work together to empower

another woman through homeownership. Teams are forming now. For more information,

contact kathym@habitatpowhatan.org or check out bit.ly/powhatanwomenbuild2025