My husband and I have struggled in life for years. We were living in a tiny 2-bedroom apartment with our son, Jordon who was living with complex, special needs and my stepson, Owen. Because of Jordon’s requirement for care I was unable to work outside the home and so we existed from pay cheque to pay cheque on my husband’s one salary.
When I say our apartment was tiny I mean a living room that was 7 feet by 8 feet and a bedroom with less than 5 inches between our bed and Jordon’s bed. Our bathroom was so small that my son could not get his wheel chair in. Every time Jordon needed to use the bathroom I had to carry him in and out.
We lived on the 3rd floor of our building with one entrance way and one exit which I feared was unsafe if there was a fire. If I needed to take Jordon to his medical appointments or anywhere else I would have to carry him down 42 stairs to the car and 42 stairs back up. I also had to make take those same stairs with all of his medical equipment. My dread was that I would not have the strength to do that someday.
One day, the management of our building decided to remove the wallpaper in the hallways and as soon as they did that the exposed mold caused us all but most especially Jordon to become sick. In fact, Jordon was so sick with Bacterial Pneumonia that he was put into a chemically induced coma off site in a special care facility for 3 weeks. We were really afraid that we were going to lose him.
Clearly something had to be done but what? My husband had been steadily working for 12 years on shift work and taking other odd jobs in order to keep a roof over our heads but all of this was taking its toll. The worry and pressure of being a single income earner was becoming physically and emotionally taxing. We had so little money at times that we had to use the foodbank because our pay cheque could not stretch far enough to pay for Jordon’s special needs, utilities, rent and anything else that was essential.
Someone suggested low income housing and so we looked into it. That is when we were told that we made 2 thousand dollars too much to qualify and if we did qualify the waiting list was 8-10 years.
We had heard about Habitat for Humanity before but thought they were like the Shriners – a not-for-profit charity that helped out less fortunate in the community – how, I wasn’t sure. After some research, we learned that they helped people like us to achieve home ownership. We filled out an application form and soon we were being interviewed.
Pinch me! There we were as a family actually building our own home side-by-side with other volunteers who were there to help us. Owen was so impressed with the experience that he said he wanted to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity for the rest of his life and help others the way others had helped us.
Habitat for Humanity Thousand Islands also instructed us in what it takes to own a mortgage and manage insurance, taxes and other home expenditures.
Then magic happened!
We now have a home where Jordon can move freely around in with his wheelchair without restraint. Instead of Jordon needing his puffer every 4 hours of every day, Jordon now only uses his puffer when he is sick which is practically never. In the 7 years of his life Jordon was unable to go outside to play. Now he can go outside to the park across the street or even into his own back yard anytime he wants. Children are everywhere in our neighbourhood and are eager to play with Jordon too.
From the very beginning, the parents of these children were so welcoming and friendly towards us. Now they have become our best friends.
We went from a box to a home and in doing so have gained a whole new family with Habitat for Humanity 1000 Islands. Our lives have been transformed in such a positive way that we could not even imagine.
This is so much more than a house.
This is a future; a blessing and we are so grateful.
Learn more about how Habitat for Humanity Thousand Islands helps people in our local community like Hillary.