August 2007

Project Summary:

A 3 day project for a single mom with 5 children, two with sickle cell.

This family came home, from a visit to their family in Jamaica, to find the bank had reposed their home due to the husband’s gambling problems. “Mom Brooks” and her children lived in a shelter for months until she found housing. Her home had the bare minimum and was not in good repair. They needed many of the basics.

Walls of hope provided complete bedroom makeovers; as each child had not much more than a mattress. We renovated “Mom Brooks” room to provide some privacy as she shared it with her young son. We provided an outside retreat for “Mom Brooks” to get away. It was the only refuge she had from all the responsibilities and challenges of her family and the challenges of everyday life. We also landscaped the front yard to make the home welcoming.

The reaction from the oldest children said it all. They saw their future in the rooms that embraced their dreams. They had a place to bring friends too. Mom could not contain her emotions as her children had such great rooms that boosted their self esteem and belief that that anything is possible

Testimonials:

“What the Brooks family received from the Walls of Hope is more than they could have ever imagine, It goes beyond furniture, paint, accessories, they got something more important.”  Brooks family friend

“At first they (her children) used to have low self esteem. I remember one kid told Tiffany she didn’t have anything in her house, now she’s got that back, she’s got her self esteem back. Even Jannel is smiling more and we talk more. Thank you”  Dian Brooks