According to Hearts For Homes Resource Development Coordinator Stacey Campbell,
“Our hearts are overwhelmed with gratitude for everyone who helped us make our home livable again, and for all the prayers for my husband while he was in the hospital.” — Deloris Glaude, age 72.
Georgina, a current Hearts for Homes client, insisted that her neighbor, Deloris, apply for assistance with Hearts for Homes because she could see the overwhelming need for massive repairs in her neighbor’s home. It was wintertime and Delores’ husband, Emile Glaude (82), an Army veteran, was very sick. Their home had no heating, no hot water, and a hole in the roof. Space heaters were scattered throughout the house powered by a variety of extension cords.
Emile and Deloris’ dream was to own a home. Deloris shares that Emile worked very hard as a meat cutter to make that come true for him and his wife. The Glaudes raised seven children between them and have lived their life story in that home for over 30 years now – the tears, laughter, pain, joy, sickness and restoration. Unfortunately, they fell on hard times and have been living on a fixed income since retiring. Emile had five major surgeries in the past several years. They had to cut their homeowners insurance and had no spare funds to repair the long-standing damage which led to ceilings caving and bees building a hive in the outer wall. The home was becoming more and more unlivable. Emile and Deloris thought they would have to abandon their dream home until they heard about Hearts for Homes. Emile was rushed away by ambulance suffering with acute pneumonia the day Hearts for Homes began repairs. It took a few months, many volunteer hours, and in-kind donations from local repair partners, but when Emile returned from the hospital, he almost did not recognize it. His home was fully restored, safe and functional.
The Glaudes are just one of the many seniors with similar circumstances and stories that Hearts for Homes assists in Denton County, but the issue of home and financial insecurity is a national one. The National Council on Aging states: “Over 25 million Americans aged 60+ are economically insecure—living at or below 250% of the federal poverty level (FPL) ($29,425 per year for a single person). These older adults struggle with rising housing and health care bills, inadequate nutrition, lack of access to transportation, diminished savings, and job loss. For older adults who are above the poverty level, one major adverse life event can change today’s realities into tomorrow’s troubles.”
Hearts for Homes proudly becomes part of these struggling seniors’ stories by offering the help and hope they need, repairing houses, preserving a home, and supporting them as their story continues. Donations from North Texas Giving Day enable Hearts for Homes to be an impactful part of each senior’s ongoing story so they can age in place, safely and with dignity.
* Graphic and photo provided by Hearts For Homes
In 11 years, Communities Foundation of Texas’ North Texas Giving Day has pumped more than $290 million into the North Texas community. In 2019, more than $50 million was raised through more than 169,000 gifts benefiting over 2,988 area nonprofits.
On Thursday, September 17, support Hearts For Homes by linking here and spreading the word. #NTxGivingDay