By Eva Zamarripa | Development Officer
Safe, decent, affordable housing plays a critical role in strong and stable communities. Chipola Area Habitat for Humanity helps families build and improve places to call home. When Category 5 Hurricane Michael made its way through the Florida Panhandle in 2018, it decimated local housing stock, destroying homes and leaving many uninhabitable. In response, Chipola Area Habitat for Humanity's Hurricane Repair Program has worked diligently to increase its capacity, providing home repairs for those who suffered damage while also incorporating a stronger rehabilitation program and building 10 new homes in 2020.
After her home was destroyed by Hurricane Michael, Chipola Area resident Tiffany was forced to move into a small travel trailer with her four children Kaylee (10, not pictured), Rynen (6), Kyndall (3), and Kynedi (9 months). The travel trailer had also sustained damage, which caused growth of dangerous mold and required a portion of the structure to be closed off, leaving the family to live in a confined space. Through partnership with Habitat for Humanity, Tiffany and her family have been able to improve their housing conditions. With the support of GlobalGiving, construction on Tiffany’s new home began in February 2020 with a crew of Habitat RV Care-A-Vanners and 9 other volunteers who spent a combined 275 hours constructing the house. The home received a certificate of completion in early August. Tiffany and her children have started a new life in their home, free from the health risks and hazards of their former residence. Recently, Tiffany, who works for the local county health department, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Her new home will provide a space to recover and help give Tiffany and her family peace of mind as she undergoes treatment for her illness.
The significance of safe shelter has taken on new meaning as families around the world seek refuge and safety at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. On behalf of Habitat for Humanity, our partner families, and volunteers, thank you for supporting our long-term recovery efforts to ensure that communities impacted by disaster can live in healthy housing and build back with resilience.
Links:
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
