Deborah's family story

Raising five children, Deborah has fine-tuned her ability to identify not only with different individuals, but also with different generations. She realizes the importance of understanding how each of her kids communicates with his or her peers, and says of this unceasing education, "I wouldn’t say it makes life complicated, but it makes it really, really rounded."

Deborah loves having barbeques, going on walks with her kids, and taking them to plays. Once she graduates from college—Deborah will receive her BA in Human Services from Metro State University in less than a year—she plans to treat her family to Latin dance classes.

They also gather regularly for "family church," during which they pray together and reflect on both blessings and challenges. In line with her respect for other perspectives, she says, "I don’t try to push it off on anyone, but," she adds with a smile, "I’m not afraid to brag about God!"

Her family is the primary reason why Deborah applied for assistance from A Brush With Kindness. She wants her kids to have a nice house where they are proud to live. Finding out about the program from an employee of Community Action, it seemed to Deborah like a good fit. Between school, full-time work with Hennepin County, family obligations and financial limitations, Deborah was looking for help with house projects.

This fall, ABWK volunteers and staff will complete exterior painting, a new railing in front, and repairs to the back porch. Deborah remarks that her house will once again be "happy, thankful, maintained, and moving forward," just like her family.

A native of small-town Tennessee, Deborah moved to Minneapolis about 18 years ago, and had been renting half of a duplex for the first seventeen. She became a homeowner a year ago, and she knew upon first entering her house that it was the right one.

She loves Minneapolis, commenting, "Each time I made a step, there was someone here who helped me make two or three more." She believes ABWK is a fantastic program that she will tell her acquaintances about, so that they can benefit from the generosity of donors and volunteers as well.