The Volunteering Page of Michelle Eckley

Thank you for volunteering for this build! Your efforts will help the Loudiana Family with their dream of owning a safe, decent, and affordable home. We look forward to having you out on the work site. We promise your volunteer experience will be fun! Get to know the Loudiana Family. Read their bio below.

FAMILY AND CURRENT HOUSING

When a colleague at Charylnn’s job described his experience in the Habitat homeownership program as one of the best things that ever happened to him, Charlynn was convinced to pursue her dream of owning her own decent, affordable home. At the time she applied and was accepted into the program, Charlynn and her five-year-old son, Landon, were living in an old, overcrowded apartment building with many structural problems and unsafe conditions. Along with flooding in the bathroom, rotting floorboards, cracks in the ceiling, and cramped quarters, the apartment had a roach infestation. The situation became so concerning to Charlynn, that she and Landon moved into the basement of a friend’s home. While it is better than their previous living conditions, the basement is very cold and occasionally floods making it less than ideal for a permanent home. With the help of Habitat’s generous volunteers, sponsors, and donors, Charlynn is ready to provide Landon with a safe, stable place to live and grow. Landon, who loves going to the zoo and camping, is also extremely excited about the new house his family will soon move into. Charlynn explained that he now has his own little tool set and hard hat and refers to their future house as their “home-home.”

A PERFECT FIT

Charlynn recently selected a lot in Massillon where their “home-home” will be built and she is eager for work to begin. She is already completing sweat equity requirements at ReStore and at build or rehab sites. Charlynn has tried her hand at insulating, hanging siding, and installing drywall and trim. Charlynn has also completed Habitat’s House2Home education series designed to prepare her for the additional responsibility of owning a home. Charlynn’s favorite class was Foundations, a small group, discussion based class that equips families with tools to strengthen their mental and emotional wellness. She found it uplifting to engage in honest conversation with her peers about dealing with and learning from life’s struggles.

In addition to raising her son and completing the Habitat sweat equity requirements each week, Charlynn works hard to provide for her family. She has been employed as an Activity Assistant at Canton Health Care Center for four years and recently got her certification to become the director of the activity department. All of Charlynn’s hard work will soon pay off and her dream of homeownership will become reality. “I love the idea of freedom and having something I can call mine for my family,” Charlynn said. “I hope that it will be the start to a great future and my life coming together for the better.”