When Jessica was seven years old instead of playing with barbies, she took interest in sketching homes. Years before, she volunteered on build sites with Habitat for Humanity, but Jessica never foresaw that she would be receiving support from the organization.
When the Eaton Fire took place in early January, there was so much uncertainty in the air. Jessica didn’t know whether her home of 15 years would still be standing after the devastating fire. To her surprise, her Altadena home was still standing tall, but soot and smoke damage was left behind.
Now Jessica found herself asking, What’s next? With the family temporarily staying at her daughter’s apartment and her granddaughter’s birthday just two weeks away, she wasn’t sure how they would celebrate.
“I was in a daze when the fires first happened,” Jessica said. “But I’m a mother and grandmother, and my family looks to me when a crisis strikes.”
Jessica couldn’t waste time; she needed to figure out next steps.
Jessica’s House during the remediation process
That is when she headed to the disaster recovery center, and San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity had a booth there. She left with some cleaning supplies, and the idea to fill out the remediation application through SGV Habitat. Jessica went home to clean her house thoroughly, but soot kept appearing all over the home.
The damage left by the fire was beyond anything that could be resolved by cleaning alone. After this devastation hit, Jessica was looking for a sign of hope. That is when a call from SGV Habitat came through, and they told her she was qualified for home remediation.
“I got rejected from so many other organizations, but SGV Habitat didn’t turn me away,” she said.
Now, the burden she was carrying didn’t seem as heavy anymore.
Jessica’s house after remediation, ready for the Holidays.
When Jessica was finally able to return home, she felt the difference right away. The new insulation made her house noticeably more comfortable, and she was so thankful that SGV Habitat took care of the painting job. Her worries about coming home were immediately put at ease.
“The fact that SGV Habitat was able to provide everything I needed, made me feel comfortable enough to come home,” Jessica said.
Jessica and her family spent Thanksgiving at home this year! Thanks to SGV Habitat and GER3 & partners.