Growing Up Stable Campaign
Every Child Deserves the Opportunity to Grow Up in a Stable Home
A child's education doesn't begin on the first day of school—it begins at home.
Long before children learn to read, solve math problems, or prepare for graduation, they develop the cognitive, emotional, and social skills that shape their future. Research consistently shows that housing stability plays an important role in that development. Children who experience repeated residential moves are more likely to struggle academically, while children with stable housing are better positioned to learn, grow, and thrive.
At Tahlequah Area Habitat for Humanity, we believe every child deserves the opportunity that comes with a stable home.
Through our affordable homeownership program, families partner with us to build more than a house. They complete financial education, invest sweat equity, and purchase their home with an affordable mortgage designed to support long-term success. This model helps reduce the housing cost burden that often forces families to relocate, giving children the consistency of remaining in the same home, attending the same school, and building lasting connections within their community.
A Stable Beginning
Birth to Preschool
The earliest years of life are a period of incredible growth. During these years, children develop language, emotional regulation, problem-solving skills, and the foundational abilities that prepare them for school.
Research shows that young children who move three or more times before preschool experience the greatest negative impacts to their cognitive, emotional, and behavioral development. Stable housing helps create predictable routines, stronger family connections, and environments where young children can flourish.
A Stable Place to Learn
Elementary School
Elementary school is where children build the literacy and math skills that influence future academic success.
Research has found that children experiencing residential instability during their early elementary years score lower on reading and math assessments than their residentially stable peers. These learning gaps can persist for years, affecting long-term educational outcomes.
A stable home provides more than an address—it offers consistency. Children benefit from remaining in the same school, building relationships with teachers, participating in extracurricular activities, and focusing on learning rather than adjusting to another move.
A Stable Foundation for the Future
Adolescence
As children become teenagers, stability continues to matter.
Research associates frequent, unplanned moves during adolescence with increased social and behavioral challenges that can interfere with academic achievement and educational attainment.
When young people have the stability of a permanent home, they are better positioned to maintain friendships, stay engaged in school, participate in community activities, and prepare for life after graduation.
How Habitat Helps
Every Habitat home represents more than walls and a roof.
It represents a family investing in their future.
Our affordable homeownership program creates opportunities for local families to establish long-term housing stability through:
- Affordable monthly mortgage payments.
- Financial education and homeownership preparation.
- Sweat equity completed alongside volunteers and community partners.
- Safe, decent, and affordable housing built to last.
- A supportive partnership that empowers families to achieve lasting success.
Together, these elements help create the stability children need to grow, learn, and reach their full potential.
Learn More
Download the full evidence brief to explore the research connecting housing stability and educational success.
Help More Children Grow Up Stable
You can help build brighter futures for local families.
Whether you volunteer on a build site, make a donation, or apply for our affordable homeownership program, you're helping create the stability every child deserves.
Together, we're building stronger families. Building stronger Tahlequah.
