Habitat of Lakeland Veteran’s Repair Program In Action

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Letter from the CEO, Claire Twomey

While walking through the ReStore recently my path crossed with Sunil Persaud and his wife and small son.  As we talked he told me he recently had purchased some land in rural Kathleen area with a mobile home in great disrepair. His hope was to restore it and have a forever home for his family.

I became aware of Persaud’s needs after he began making regular trips to ReStore, our retail outlet, which sells building supplies at discounted prices. Upon learning that Persaud was undertaking the renovation of his home by himself over the last 3 years and still had so much to do, I encouraged him to apply for a Lakeland Habitat program that provides assistance to veterans through the Lowe’s retail chain grant.

Persaud described the assistance from Habitat for Humanity as coming “out of the blue.” Twomey said Persaud qualified for a $20,000 assistance grant from Lowe’s, and Habitat volunteers have joined in the renovation project.  However, what makes this renovation different is it is rare we do a full restoration.  Lowe’s assistance will not cover the whole project.  We  still need help from the community to make this veteran’s dream come true. Please consider a donation of any size. Most veterans have a hard time asking for help. They are use to giving it.

Persaud, 35, qualified as a former member of the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps. In that role, he said, he worked as a paralegal, handling such matters as court martials, legal briefs investigations. The military gave Persaud a medical retirement in 2014. He said he is rated as 90% disabled, though he doesn’t want the details publicly known.

“It was almost like a sign from God that he was giving me the answer, like, ‘You’re searching and here it is. This is how we get to the next step. This is how we move forward, ” Persaud said.

We have been blessed with volunteers from Publix who donated $2,500 toward materials and VISTE.  This has become an incredible community effort. We have started receiving donations from companies such as Fussell Well Drilling and Averett Septic Tank Co. who have donated their material and services. We thank all of them for being so generous. We will keep you posted on opportunities for your organization to have a work day.

CITY Furniture supports Habitat

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CITY Furniture is committed to their community and it shows!

We’re proud to announce their support of Habitat for Humanity as CITY Furniture pledges 5% of their annual profits to us and other great community organizations.

CITY Furniture is a Florida-based retailer established in 1970.  With 23 showrooms across the state and an expansive e-commerce site, City Furniture is deeply embedded in the neighborhoods it serves.

Next time you’re looking for new furniture, remember CITY Furniture’s commitment to Habitat and thank them for their support!

Home Décor Boutique – A New Addition to Our Furniture Thrift Store

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It was not that long ago that we renovated our Furniture Thrift Building to look like a showroom. Now we have added to that our “Home Décor Boutique.”

On October 18, we celebrated the opening with on-site broadcasting with Roger & Craig from WPCV Country in the morning and with Mike from MAX 98 during the lunch hour. Two of our board members served hot dogs and drinks, while our friendly staff greeted customers. Ann Shaw was the winner of our $50 gift basket drawing. Our staff and volunteers at the ReStore value our customers and were happy to share this day with them.

The “Home Décor Boutique” area is a combination of old and new furniture, glassware, collectibles, fine china and much more. There are items you may see in fine antique stores that are being sold in the boutique at greatly reduced prices. We are blessed to acquire these items through generous donors who are downsizing their estates.

Condo Makeover All From The ReStore

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While time, money and housing supplies are the most common donations to Habitat, there are several other ways to give as well, including donating your stocks.

This is a fast and simple process which can be done through an electronic transfer, or certificates can be donated through the mail.

Donations of stocks allows us to ensure that even more families around the world have a safe, affordable place to call home. The global housing crisis presents an ever-growing need, and we use everything at our disposal to respond.

See stock transfer instructions.

Please contact us with any questions you have about donating your stocks or bonds. You can reach us at 1-800-HABITAT (1-800-422-4828), ext. 3614, or by email at plangivingstockgifts@habitat.org.

Thank you for joining us in our work to help families build strength, stability and independence through shelter. Everyone deserves a decent place to live, and everyone can do something today to make that possible for another family.

Habitat needs your help

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If you don’t go out and see the need, you don’t have to help, very simple, but once you do go, how can you not help? I was so shocked to see the conditions in which way too many of our veterans and elderly live. We cannot let this continue. This is right here in Lakeland & surrounding areas, not some 3rd world country! Your neighbors need your help! Please donate to Lakeland Habitat for Humanity so that we can get out there & show them that you do care. Help us to help these low-income veteran and elderly homeowners who are in desperate need of home repairs.

“I bought this place because I thought I would live here until I died. I just did not realize I would live so long. I have outlived my savings and with my limited income of $800 a month I just can’t pay for the repairs I use to do myself.”

If you don’t go out and see the need, you don’t have to help, very simple, but once you do go, how can you not help? I was so shocked to see the conditions in which way too many of our veterans and elderly live. We cannot let this continue. This is right here in Lakeland & surrounding areas, not some 3rd world country! Your neighbors need your help! Please donate to Lakeland Habitat for Humanity so that we can get out there & show them that you do care. Help us to help these low-income veteran and elderly homeowners who are in desperate need of home repairs.

“I bought this place because I thought I would live here until I died. I just did not realize I would live so long. I have outlived my savings and with my limited income of $800 a month I just can’t pay for the repairs I use to do myself.”

Dear Ms. Twomey

I read the article in The Ledger about roof repairs. My wife and I are one of those couples with that need and an inability to get it fixed. I am a veteran on disability. Right now the problem is small, just a drip and damage restricted to the ceiling. We had a roofer look at it and it would cost $4,500. That is way beyond us. Please keep us in mind if there are funds available. My wife and I have admired the work of Habitat for years. What a wonderful service to our community and others across the county. ere.

Best regards,

These are not isolated people, but the kind of calls we get every day. Habitat Lakeland started doing emergency home repairs 3 years ago because the need was so great. We have completed home repairs for 51 veterans as well as completing 394 ramps in partnership with VISTE, 83 emergency repairs for elderly, helped 2 churches, several other non-profits, a children’s baseball field and provided 154 homes for families.

We currently have a waiting list of 38 people in need of help with “leaky roof repairs.”

Within 24 hours of this article we had a woman donate $5,000 to help pay for a leaky roof, $15,000 from Wells Fargo, $1.00 from an elderly person, (every $ counts) a woman who wanted to know if we would do her roof and she would pay us so that money could go to help someone else. (Which we can’t do, but that is creative thinking) and a new partnership with a mobile home park that would like to give some mobile homes to veterans.

Now we are asking you to put yourself in the shoes of just one of these people and please help us to help them.

In memory of Father John Caulfield who was a member of Lakeland Habitat’s Advisory Council, who would have said: “There’s no problem getting the money, we just need to open our pockets.”

You can donate by mail, by phone, online at www.habitatoflakeland.org or out of your pocket!