Nov. 22, 2024 – Flower Mound, TX
by Stacey Campbell, Resource Development Coordinator for Hearts for Homes
Barbara (BiBi) Smey, 74, is home once again, but now she has a new mobile home that is suited for wheelchair accessibility and fully functional.
In June 2021, BiBi came to Hearts for Homes through a realtor, Cheryl Hill, who had been delivering Meals on Wheels and helping her out as she was able. She was very concerned about BiBi’s overall living conditions and basic safety, and reached out to our office to advocate for assistance. She kindly assisted BiBi in completing the necessary paperwork to get her the help she needed so desperately. Bibi is disabled and survives on a little over $1,000/mo. in social security disability benefits and $500 of that goes to lot rent for her mobile home site. So, when her 1973 mobile home flooded, causing extensive damage, she had no funds to tackle all that was needed to make her home livable again. She did not have insurance because that was a luxury she could not afford. Here is the original list of repair needs that Cheryl documented for Ms. Smey:
- Complete roof needs replaced
- After flood, flooring / tile need to be replaced in kitchen, main bathroom, front bedroom and in closet.
- Carpet needs to be replaced in living room.
- Ceiling in front bedroom and ceiling over microwave damaged due to storm.
- After flood, kitchen cabinets need to be replaced
- Hot water not working
- Outdoor stairs in front needs replacing.
- Ramp needs to be repaired
- Modifications needed to widen doors for wheelchair, grip rails in shower, possible tub conversion to complete shower
- Needs plumbing for oven to hook-up propane.
- Secure cracks to prevent rats coming in.
- Need new front door for bottom is deteriorating/ pulled apart.
- Electrical sockets need to be checked
- Toilet in back room needs to be replaced.
- Windows need replacing due to wasps coming in, in back bedroom and the others, unable to open for emergency reasons.
- Need air conditioner replaced in kitchen window.
- Due to no insurance and mobile home flooding, please check for mold.
Once BiBi was approved in August 2021 for services through Hearts for Homes, we sent our inspectors over to assess the situation. That original list of needs only scratched the surface, and it was quickly apparent that the home was beyond repair. As our team worked on possible solutions for BiBi’s situation, we did what we could to make her comfortable in the meantime by installing a new water heater, getting a working AC window unit put in, and patching the roof. Then, we set to work to raise the funding needed to find a solution to improve BiBi’s overall living situation. Last fall, we were able to secure a $5,000 grant from the Town of Flower Mound which gave us the leverage needed to secure more funding. Several incredibly generous members of our community and supporters of Hearts for Homes pitched in their financial support, and this past spring we received a $10,000 grant from Isla Carroll Turner Friendship Trust. In total, we raised about $62,000 for BiBi’s replacement home. Now, to find a home! At first, our executive director, Susan Frank, was searching for refurbished mobile homes that Hearts for Homes could work on to get it updated and wheelchair accessible for Ms. Smey, but there were few available and they were asking top dollar. That meant, there would not be enough to cover demolition of her old home, preparation of the site, utility disconnect and hookups, and such. By the grace of God, one of our volunteers had a connection to Freedom Homes. Susan reached out and they came through big time for BiBi offering a brand new mobile home plus delivery and installation for the same cost as the refurbished ones. What an amazing blessing!
Now, that all the pieces were in place, our team jumped into action. This November, we hit the ground running in the hopes that we could get BiBi settled back into her new home by Thanksgiving. We found her temporary housing, packed up all her belongings and put them in a donated storage space, disconnected all the utilities, arranged for the old home to be demolished and prepared the site for the new home. The new home was delivered and placed on her lot. Our incredible volunteers and staff got to work to reconnect all the utilities, build her wheelchair ramp and install the skirting while other volunteers moved all her belongings back in, unpacked and organized everything for her big homecoming on Fri., Nov. 22.
She did not know she was getting a new home. Several people engaged with the project, our staff and representatives from Freedom Homes gathered for BiBi’s big homecoming surprise. She cut the ribbon and was wheeled up her new ramp into her new house where volunteers had moved all her personal belongings back in, unpacked and organized everything so she could just enjoy the blessing of her new home safe home.
