Michelle’s Home Preservation Repair

Michelle applied to our Home Preservation program needing repairs for the exterior of her 65-year-old home. She is the mother of eight children, ranging in age from 32 to 12, one of whom passed away in 2015. When her husband died in 2019, she became the full-time caregiver to her 84-year-old mother, who suffered a severe stroke around 18 months ago. Despite these challenges, Michelle attends online college part-time, while two of her oldest children work careers as firefighters, and the remaining are all students, from 6th grade through college.

Michelle’s home needed extensive exterior work,  but she lacked both the finances and the support to get it done. Her neighbors, who happened to be Greater Albuquerque Habitat for Humanity volunteers, told her about our repair program.

The exterior of her property was desperately in need of landscaping, fence and gate repair, and bush trimming. She had multiple artificial vegas attached to the home that were rotting and allowing water and small animals inside the walls of her home. And finally, the stucco on her house was peeling and cracked and needed to be replaced. Greater Albuquerque Habitat for Humanity was able to complete and repair all work before the end of 2023, excluding the stucco work.

Finally, in January, after generous grants from Wells Fargo and State Farm, and donations from our end-of-year appeal, the stucco repair, estimated at $45,000 – $52,000, was completed.

Thanks to donations to our Repair Program, Michelle’s family will not have to worry about water leakage, animals nesting or dying in the home’s walls, and will have safe, secure gates and fencing surrounding her property. “We’re so grateful for God and the people He places in our lives – for the miracles he has sent, one in particular being Greater ABQ Habitat for Humanity and Wells Fargo. You are all so warm and wonderful and compassionate.”