Success Stories
Current Homeowner Success Stories
Ever wonder about Habitat Partner Families?
Let us introduce you to the Andersons and the Mitchells:
It’s 1989 and a new Habitat affiliate is screening families and struggling to build homes. Vivian Anderson and her two children, Joe age 11 ½ and Brandie, age 10 are approved for a home. Vivian has had a kidney transplant and the family has been struggling. Every time they think they are finally getting settled something happens. They have been living with friends and relatives in makeshift conditions. Currently all share a king sized bed in one bedroom in the grandmother’s apartment.
The Anderson’s received our second home and moved into their new life in December of 1993. Since then, Vivian has passed away and Brandie and Joe inherited the house. Brandie still fondly remembers her mother planting roses in her very own yard. She has graduated from A&M and works for the Montgomery County YMCA.
Recently Brandi reminded us of all this as she related her Habitat story at the Habitat Breakfast.
Twelve years after the Andersons moved into their home, Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast. On August 29, 2005 the Mitchell family awoke to see their apartment surrounded by water polluted with everything imaginable. After waiting and hoping for rescue for a couple of days they decided to try to get out. 13 family members were staying in the apartment at the time, including a nine month old baby and an uncle who had a broken arm. They struggled through the contaminated water to the I-10 bridge where the uncle with the broken arm helped them swim to safety. To get to safety, the family was split up and sent to several different cities.
After a while they all were reunited in Houston. Having made the decision to live in Houston, in May of 2007 the family applied for a Habitat home. At the time Lois and Reynard were sharing a three bedroom apartment with their adult daughter, Dena, her two teenage daughters, Monisha and Brandi, and their adult son, Brandon. They were approved in November of 2007 and began their sweat equity. They first worked in Hampton Place and then moved on to Lancaster. Lois and Reynard were thrilled with the new location as they have another adult son and his family living nearby. Recently visitors to the build site could find Lois and Dena measuring windows for curtains. Shortly Lois, Reynard, Dena, Monisha, Brandi and Brandon Mitchell will be the first Habitat family to move into Lancaster.
