On Saturday, Habitat for Humanity of NW Metro Atlanta and the Hughey family dedicated the final home of the year to Kuyshondra, a single mother of three who serves our community as a Cobb County school bus driver.
Cobb County resident Jim Hughey conceived the idea to build a Habitat for Humanity home in memory of his parents, Bob and Jane Hughey in late 2021 after volunteering at a Habitat build in Veterans Place in Douglasville. It is one of only three Habitat developments in the United States built exclusively for Veterans.
Jim was incredibly inspired by the camaraderie amongst the Habitat families and their appreciation of their homes. He shared the idea with his wife, Jackie and extended family; all whom eagerly agreed to work together to raise the funds.
Bob Hughey served in the United States Marines and after college became a carpenter, then a high school industrial arts teacher and later, a school administrator in Ohio. Jane was a nurse and specialized in women’s health when she returned to the workforce later in life. They raised five children in a small home to which Bob was able to add modest additions as the family grew. After retiring to Lake Keowee in Seneca, S.C. Bob became a passionate volunteer for the Seneca Habitat affiliate. Jane volunteered at a women’s clinic and went on international medical mission trips.
In 2012 when Parkinson’s Disease took its toll on Bob, they moved to Presbyterian Village in Austell to be near Jim. Bob passed in 2015 and Jane in 2020. Jim Hughey says it is appropriate that the Habitat home being built in their memory is in Austell where their final years were spent.
Kuyshondra is a single mother of three children Markeyla (age 16), D’Anthony (13) and Richard (11). One of her children deals with a learning disability that requires a lot of help from Kuyshondra. In seeking to have a job that allowed her to be in multiple places throughout the day or week she first worked in the cafeteria at a Cobb County school, and a second job at Kroger in the deli department. To increase her income, began driving for Uber, Lyft, doing deliveries with Instacart, and earned her CDL license and became a bus driver.
She has worked very hard at multiple jobs while balancing being an attentive mother, provider and working to become a Habitat homeowner. Kuyshondra gives God all the glory and praise for her home. “He saw open doors where I saw closed. He saw the light at the end of the tunnel, where I only saw darkness … I would also like to thank you all for considering my family, as well as myself, for this tremendous opportunity.”
The Catholic Coalition of Cobb County helped the Hughey family by providing volunteers and lunches for all nine weeks of the build.
“It is exceptionally rare for a Habitat home build sponsored by a single family, says Jessica Gill, CEO, Habitat for Humanity, NW Metro Atlanta. “It is incredibly inspiring to see a family honoring their parents and grandparents through providing a better life for another young family in their community.”