From Homelessness to Homeownership: Buffy's Habitat Story
“I was born in St. Louis, Missouri. I moved here in 1995. At that point, I found myself – for lack of a better word – homeless.” Buffy was in a tough...
1 min read
matt haugen : 4:34 AM on October 18, 2010
Recent storms have been especially difficult for Todd Thomas and his St. Paul home. Every time a strong rain comes, Todd finds himself placing five gallon buckets in all corners of the house to catch the water dripping inside.
When snow melts in the wintertime he’s back at it again. This 1920’s home is way past due repairs on the roof, siding and windows. But Todd’s limited finances have prevented him from doing the work himself.
“I work full time and support three children who live out of state and at end of the day don’t have extra money lying around for home maintenance projects,” says Todd.
Running out of options Todd turned to Twin Cities Habitat’s A Brush with Kindness Program after receiving a flyer in the mail. In just a few months, he was notified that the repairs would be completed as part of the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project this fall.
“When I received the phone call, a sense of relief came over me,” said Todd. “I feel blessed to be part of this program and will no longer have to spend all my time worrying.”
There is a newfound sense of optimism that comes over Todd when he talks about his plans for the future. He’s very excited to be working alongside Twin Cites Habitat staff and volunteers this fall. “It will be great to have these repairs completed for when my kids come visit me.”
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