Coming to you live,
from Covington

I was fortunate to have been invited to the “Today” show broadcast at Hope Village on October 11. We soon learned that President George W. Bush would be making an eighth visit to our devastated region during that time—and that he had agreed to an interview with Matt Lauer from Covington. The President and First Lady Laura Bush were joined by Paul Prudhomme, Janet Huckabee (first lady of Arkansas), and many Habitat volunteers and staff who had arrived at 3 a.m. for security screening. The effort that went into that very early morning event will be felt for years to come.

The President and Mrs. Bush seemed genuinely interested in learning about how Covington and the northshore had been affected by the hurricane. They mingled for nearly an hour with volunteers and staff, and were happy to shake hands and hug guests. They had coffee, ate beignets and caught some Mardi Gras beads. There was even a reunion of sorts. Habitat St. Tammany West Board President Peter Link was able to chat with President and Mrs. Bush about the “good old days” in Midland, Texas when they were neighbors and their daughters were playmates. The President made sure that individuals who were reluctant to come forward were singled out and greeted, and the First Lady graciously accepted a cell phone call to say hello to a resident who was waiting to wave at the motorcade. It was a chance to forget about blue tarps and chainsaws—if only for a brief time—and garner some national attention towards our little town’s needs.

As the President spoke with Matt Lauer, they covered a variety of topics. The hurricane had left the northshore with little or no television service, and most who attended the show that morning had been out of the news loop. And while it was interesting to hear them discuss Iraq and Harriet Miers, we at the Habitat site had our ears peeled for information about us—and what was being done for the devastated areas of the Gulf Coast region. We hung on the President’s every word regarding updates on local relief efforts and encouragement for our community’s future.

Each house bears a story

The first three homes in the Covington area are being built for and with three families: Jackulin Collins and her three children, ages 18, 13 and 9; Tanya Jackson and her two children, ages 8 and 6; and Lillie McClain and her three children, ages 10, 7 and 2. It’s the families’ stories that truly are the inspiration behind Hope Village.

The home where Jackulin and her children had been living was substandard, with electrical problems, rotting floors, damaged ceilings, holes in the walls, no insulation, and windows and doors that didn’t shut securely. The home was destroyed in Hurricane Katrina. Jackulin moved in with her brother, but had to send her children out of state to live. She says that she looks forward to her new three-bedroom Habitat home, bringing her family back together, giving them a safe and decent place to live and having a place where friends can visit.

Tanya, the mother of George and Jonathan, works for McDonald’s. The house she and her family shared had plumbing problems, cracks in the floors and other safety issues. Several trees fell on the home during the storm, and the family is staying with family and friends in temporary housing until their Habitat home is complete.

Lillie’s home was also destroyed by the hurricane. Two-year-old Courtney was injured during the storm when a tree limb crashed through the roof. Doctors from a nearby hospital rushed her to Children’s Hospital in Baton Rouge. She is recovering from a skull fracture, but doing well.
In addition to these three homes, 22 more are coming. The fifteen sites at Hope Village will be filled, two homes will be erected on 31st Street and an additional eight homes will be built in the Abita Nursery area.

The need for workforce housing

In addition to providing immeasurable psychological and spiritual help to families in need, the home ownership achieved by the Habitat families has far-reaching benefits. Most of the homeowners earn in the 25-50 percent range of the median income for our area, or $12,000-$25,000 annually. The Habitat homes provide our community with much-needed workforce housing.

Not everyone is happy about Operation Home Delivery. Some homeowners in the neighborhoods where these homes are being built are concerned about the possible effects of so many new neighbors on traffic, noise and crime. Some of those fears may be well founded; some may stem from racial or economic bias. There is, however, a definite need for workforce housing. Everyone is ready for the stores to stay open later and the service to improve at area restaurants—but staff is needed! The goal of Habitat is to help fill that need and foster a sense of community and volunteerism among its homeowners.

Because Habitat houses are built with donated materials and volunteer labor, they typically appraise for more than actual cost. Consequently, they often increase property values in a neighborhood. Many neighbors find that the “not in my backyard” attitude is callous; once they open their minds and hearts to their new neighbors, barriers are broken and friendships are made.

It’s been said that out of adversity comes opportunity. Since 1976, Habitat for Humanity has built more than 200,000 homes in nearly 100 countries, providing safe, affordable shelter for more than one million people whose lives were previously mired in hardship. Here at home, Habitat for Humanity is taking this opportunity to turn the adversity brought about by Hurricane Katrina to build a better northshore community.

Volunteers fill key roles in Habitat for Humanity’s work, both on the construction sites and in other positions, such as family selection and support, fundraising and advocacy. To volunteer, donate or learn more about Habitat for Humanity, St. Tammany West, call 893.3172.