Low-Income Family Wins Lottery Without Gambling on the Future

Friday, December 20, 2002

Millions of Americans throw billions of dollars at lotteries and other get-rich-quick "diversions," trying to change their luck. But a gamble by a single Kentucky mom - a gamble of her time and energy - paid off with a new home and a share of the American Dream for herself and her children.

Jamie McGlone is a single working mom, who works third shift as a patient care assistant at St. Claire Medical Center in Morehead, Kentucky. She hit the jackpot because she "gambled" on taking a homeownership and financial literacy program run by Frontier Housing, a non-profit housing organization in Morehead. She didn't have money to throw away, so after seeing a newspaper article, Ms. McGlone changed her family's luck by investing in herself and her children, Haley, 17 months and Tyler, 6 years. The Frontier Housing program covered homeownership readiness, understanding your credit, avoiding predatory lending, and more. Ironically, some of the financial assistance she received came in part from the bad luck of people who gambled on the state lottery and lost!

[Photo 1: Arch Gleason and Lynn Luallen present a check for $3,692,000.]
At a recent ceremony outside her new home on a mountain road near Morehead, a check from the Kentucky Lottery Corporation for $3.7 million dollars was presented to the Kentucky housing finance agency, Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC). KHC administers the Commonwealth's Affordable Housing Trust Fund, which also helped make homeownership possible for Ms. McGlone (above, center) and thousands of others in the state. Arch Gleason, president and chief executive officer (left), represented the Kentucky Lottery Corporation, and KHC chief executive officer Lynn Luallen (right) represented Kentucky Housing Corporation at the celebration. Also participating was Kentucky Field Office Director Ben Cook.

Through the determined efforts of Ms. McGlone and the effective partnerships formed by Frontier Housing, the family was able to move into their new home, which also was constructed by Frontier Housing. HUD played an important role in the process, because SHOP funds were used to purchase the lot for development, and HOME funds were used for construction financing. Rural Housing Service, HOME, Appalachian Regional Commission, and Affordable Housing Trust Fund dollars provided the permanent financing.

Stacey Epperson, Director of Frontier Housing elaborated on the mission of Frontier Housing by reading a poem written for the dedication of Ms. McGlone's home. The poem entitled, Upon This Mountain, was written by Fred Brown, a local real estate broker who is very supportive of the work of Frontier Housing.

[Photo 2: Ms. McGlone sits with her child Haley on her lap.]
Upon This Mountain

Upon this mountain we may build,
With plans hard thought and hands of skill,
A place where love and hope can grow
Like April flowers from winter snow.

Upon this mountain we may turn
A thorn to ash and bloom a rose
Upon this mountain we may learn
The measures only hearts can know.

Upon this mountain we may rest
Through suns that rise and stars that fall.
Upon this mountain we may test
The ties that bind us each to all.

Ms. McGlone (above, with Haley) is very excited about their new home. "I am very happy. As a single mother, I'm glad there is a program out there that provides a nice home for families."
 
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