RaShaw Edelen, a mailroom receiving and distribution technician with Norton Healthcare, saved for over a year before he signed up for an employee program that helped him buy his first house in 2022.

Published: March 17, 2023 | Updated: March 18, 2023

RaShaw Edelen faced a question from his uncle he didn’t know how to answer.

RaShaw was excited to restore an old car, but his uncle asked him what he planned to do with it when it was finished.

“Where was I going to put it? The side of the street wasn’t a great place to fix up the car,” RaShaw said.

The uncle challenged RaShaw to take the money he was planning to spend on the car, set it aside and find a home.

RaShaw, a mailroom receiving and distribution technician with Norton Healthcare, saved for over a year before he signed up in January 2022 for a Norton Healthcare program that supports employees to become first-time homebuyers. Thanks to the program, he was on the road to owning a home of his own.

“I didn’t want to just go buy a house,” RaShaw said. “I needed to learn and be taught what to do, what to look for and how to do it the right way.”

RaShaw, who has been with Norton Healthcare for nearly 12 years, closed on his first home on April 28, 2022.

“It’s a cool thing. I thought it would take me a long time,” RaShaw said. “I thought doing this would take a lifetime.”

Now RaShaw shares his experience to encourage other young men. He understands the sacrifice it might take to save money and ask for help.

“There’s not a lot of single male role models showing that buying a house is an option for us. I can be that guy for others who need the help. This is a reminder to other men that we can achieve our goals,”  RaShaw said.

He’s the first of his three siblings to become a homeowner.

“They see me purchasing a home and it motivates them,” RaShaw said. “Even though I’m their little brother, they are asking me what they should do and how to do it.”

With keys to a new house and a garage for his car, he is planning for what’s next.

“I have lots of plans. I’m ready to build on and add on to it,” RaShaw said. “This is a generational thing, a long-term dream.”

How does Norton Healthcare help first-time homebuyers?

Norton Healthcare works through The Housing Partnership Inc., a nonprofit community organization in Louisville, to help prepare first-time employee homebuyers before they purchase a home. First-time homebuyers get help navigating the buying process, identifying opportunities to save money and closing the deal. Budgeting, counseling, homebuyer education and financial assistance are all part of this program, which offers support for a traditional home purchase or homeownership through Habitat for Humanity.  

The traditional home purchase program provides a $5,000, four-year forgivable loan to be used toward closing costs/down payment with the purchase of a primary residence.

How do employees qualify?

Employees must meet the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development definition of a first-time homebuyer, work at least 32 hours per pay period and have a base salary from Norton Healthcare of $65,000 or less to qualify.