Local woman pours heart and soul — plus 300 hours — into building home for her family
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
When single-mom Laura Thomas decided to do something major for herself and her children, she set the standard high. She would get them a home of their own.
Tired of renting, Thomas wanted a better environment for her daughters, Tamia, 10, and Kristine, 8.
“I was tired of my money going to rent and not invested, plus the girls shared a small room and there wasn’t a good place for them to play outside,” she said. “There were too many maintenance problems and the parking situation was just bad.”
Benefiting Waco Habitat for Humanity
Monday, April 20, 2009
5 - 8 p.m.
Studio Gallery
4712 W. Waco Drive
(across from former Linen’s & Things store)
In 2007, Home is Where the Art Is raised $15,500 for Waco Habitat’s Business Build house at 1801 Seneca.
Created and hosted by Studio Gallery owners, Mike and Pat Magid, this event features the opportunity to support Waco Habitat for Humanity through:
• purchase of original art and framing sales
• purchase of original ink-block prints created and signed by local celebrities (100% of sales benefiting Waco Habitat)
• (not so) Silent Auction
• $5 Sign a Stud (2 x 4’s to be used in the Habitat house)
• Live music and refreshments
A cashier at the Wal-Mart store at the intersection of Franklin Ave. and New Road, Thomas learned about Waco Habitat for Humanity partnerships through a co-worker at the store who had purchased her home through the organization. Deciding to give it a try, she called Waco Habitat for Humanity and got started on the application/approval process.
Thomas — like all Habitat applicants — had to meet four requirements in order to be considered: need; an ability to pay the mortgage; a willingness to work; and a Waco residence for at least a year.
“There were a lot of qualifications to meet, credit history, income level. Also, [there were] forms to fill out, interviews with the board members,” she said. “I think it took about two months and then we got the call that I’d been approved. It was exciting — my girls were so happy that they would each have their own room, their own closet, a yard to play in.”
Fernando Arroyo, family services director for Waco Habitat for Humanity, worked closely with Thomas throughout the process.
“Laura met all of the requirements and was a good candidate for a home,” he said. “Because of maintenance problems and high rent at her previous place, she really needed to find a new home. Because of her consistent income and financial responsibility, we knew she would be able to pay the mortgage.”
Habitat for Humanity requires 300 sweat equity hours from each Partner Family. Once Thomas had half her hours done with classes and helping build other Partner Family homes, site selection and construction on her own home began.
Juggling her equity hours and her full-time job wasn’t easy and when she became discouraged, her mom, Betty Thomas, urged her not to give up. Her mom and family gave hours of their time toward helping Thomas make her goal.
It also took some help from Wal-Mart, her employer for 11 years, to arrange Thomas’ schedule so she could get in her hours.
“My manager, Norma Perez, worked hard to get my vacation days and personal days at the times when I needed to be working on my equity hours,” Thomas said. “She also donated her time and brought 14 Wal-Mart employees with her to help me meet my friends and family hours. That was really, really nice.”
Thomas was more than willing to work for her home, Arroyo said. She put in many hours, first on other peoples’ homes, then on her own.
“Laura told me: I’m willing to do whatever it takes to own my own home,” Arroyo said. “She is a hard worker and never saw obstacles as challenges, but rather as part of her journey.”
In addition to wielding a hammer, Thomas took home ownership classes where she learned financial skills, home maintenance tips and even native landscaping that could help her reduce water and energy bills.
Thomas remembers some very emotional moments during construction — especially the day she got to raise one of the framed walls on her own home.
“I thought I would cry — it was overwhelming,” she said. “I was surprised how much of the actual work I got to do. At one point, I was on the roof with a hammer.”
Her home, located off La Salle, was sponsored by the David and Lorraine B. Hoppenstein Fund at the Waco Foundation. It’s a three-bedroom, two bath home with an open kitchen, front porch and backyard. The family settled into their new place last spring and Thomas is proud of her accomplishment, she said.
Today, her new home is filled with framed photos of her daughters, family and friends. The bright kitchen is decorated with cheerful red accents, the dining table set for the evening meal. With the kitchen open to the family room, she’s able to watch the girls and talk with them while cooking.
Beautiful hardwood floors lead the way to three bedrooms, two baths and a laundry room. Tamia has decorated her room with posters of Bratz dolls while Kristine has chosen the Disney theme in her bedroom.
“It’s wonderful to have our own place,” Thomas said. “There’s more privacy, a yard for the kids outside. My girls help out a lot around the house and they love having rooms of their own.”
Thomas stays connected to her Habitat family through her ‘Family Support Sponsors,’ Jay and June Bryngelson. Jay Bryngelson also serves on the Waco Habitat for Humanity Board.
And there’s a new member of the Thomas family: a black and brown puppy named Journey. The name, no doubt, was inspired by the path she had recently taken to own her own home.
“This is our house. We don’t have to move,” she said. “My kids will always have a home.”
A testament to her spirit and determination: Thomas’ best friend and Wal-Mart co-worker, Tiffany Stroud, who donated lots of her own time toward helping Laura meet Habitat’s requirements, recently applied to become a Habitat for Humanity Partner Family. She was accepted and once the program requirements are met, her home build should start this summer, said John Alexander, executive director of Waco Habitat for Humanity.
For more information, visit www.wacohabitat.org.
