Laurence, 69, is a widowed mother of six with three grandchildren. After her husband died, she had no one to help provide for her and her children and this made her life much harder. Last year, she moved into her Habitat home alongside six family members. Her son Jameson, affectionately nicknamed Sonson, helped her with decorating and organizing the home. After Hurricane Matthew hit her community in 2016, her old home sustained significant damage, and the roof no longer adequately protected her from the elements. She had to place a tarp over the top of the home to keep it from leaking.
Laurence moved into her new Habitat home prior to the earthquake in August 2021. She proudly told us, “After this recent earthquake…I opened my home up so neighbors could seek shelter in it from the rain that followed. I was very proud that my house was so sturdy and able to help my neighbors. When I look around in my community, I realize that the house built by Habitat is a quality house because there were no cracks, no damage done. People often forget about the elderly, but Habitat came through for me.”