ÿþ<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head> <title>The Color Purple  Meet the Families  Greensboro</title> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /> <link rel="stylesheet" href="css/style.css" type="text/css" charset="utf-8" /> <!--[if IE 6]><link rel="stylesheet" href="css/style_ie6.css" type="text/css" /><![endif]--> <!--[if IE 7]><link rel="stylesheet" href="css/style_ie7.css" type="text/css" /><![endif]--> </head> <body id="families"> <div id="wrapper"> <div id="header2"> <div id="title_city"> <img src="images/title_greensboro.gif" alt="Meet the Families WHOSE HOMES ARE BEING REBUILT WITH DONATIONS RECEIVED FROM THE GREENSBORO ENGAGEMENT OF THE COLOR PURPLE." /></div> <div id="cont"> <!-- Warlette and Ernest --> <div class="title_story"> <img src="images/title_warern.gif" alt="Warlette and Ernest" /></div> <div class="divider_top"></div> <p><img class="famPic" src="images/pic_warern.jpg" alt="Picture of Warlette and Ernest" />Warlette and Ernest currently live with their son Jadon in a FEMA trailer parked next to their home in Orleans Parish. Jadon was only three years old when Hurricane Katrina struck leaving them homeless. Jadon doesn't remember living in their home. To him, their home is "the white house." Warlette says, "It's not comfortable, and it's hard for my husband&ndash;he can barely stand up, but it's a place to lay our heads when we come home from work." <br /><br />Their home meant the world to them. It took all of their savings and many years of hard work to purchase their home that now stands uninhabitable. Both work at the New Orleans Sewage and Water Board, where they first met. They couple soon married and put everything they had into their home. They lived a "simple, ordinary life," according to Warlette. <br /><br />Just before Hurricane Katrina struck, Warlette, her mother, and Jadon escaped to Baton Rouge with little more than the clothes on their backs. Warlette's father and Ernest were not able to leave their jobs, and had to stay behind and face the storm. The two women and young Jadon ended up in a shelter in Baton Rouge, and then moved to a rented house trailer, where they stayed for several months. <br /><br />Eventually, Warlette had to go back to work in New Orleans, despite the house being in an uninhabitable condition. She did what she had to and drove an hour each way to New Orleans to get back and forth to her job, dropping Jadon off at school in the morning and picking him up on the way back to Baton Rouge. "I was trying to keep things normal for Jadon," she says. <br /><br />"But it isn't normal. That wasn't a normal way of life." Meanwhile, Warlette's father and Ernest were living in tents set up by the Water Board for essential workers. Their family, as well as their home, had been torn apart by Katrina. <br /><br />As soon as they received a FEMA trailer, Warlette and Jadon moved back to New Orleans, and the family was finally reunited. <br /><br />Although their home hadn't flooded, the roof had been severely damaged by the strong winds. Water poured in through the large holes and down the walls, which soon became covered with mold. Most of their furniture and possessions were ruined, but they salvaged what they could and started the long rebuilding process, piece-by-piece. <br /><br />In May 2009, the Smiths received notice from FEMA that their trailer would soon be removed. Warlette didn't know what to do, and feared they would have to move into their unfinished house with no electricity or running water. The family was granted an extension, but feared they would soon find themselves homeless. <br /><br />"You've worked hard all your lives, and this makes you feel worthless," Warlette says. "But I tried to stay positive instead of throwing in the towel." She called agency after agency seeking help, with no luck. Fortunately, a St. Bernard Project staff member read about the Smith family in a newspaper article, and was able to offer the family hope. <br /><br />Warlette was stunned. "We weren't forgotten about!" she exclaimed. "I was awestruck. I couldn't believe that the St. Bernard Project wanted to help us and I'm so grateful." <br /><br />Soon Jadon's memories of separation and the stressful years spent in a FEMA trailer will fade. The family will be able to make new, happy memories in their own home. </p> <!-- Doris and Suzanne --> <div class="title_story"> <img src="images/title_dorsuz.gif" alt="Doris and Suzanne" /></div> <div class="divider_top"></div> <p><img class="famPic" src="images/pic_dorsuz.jpg" alt="Picture of Doris and Suzanne" />Doris and Suzanne have faced hardship after hardship, but nothing can stop this duo from going home. Although progress is slow, determination is strong as this family continues to struggle to rebuild their home in St. Bernard Township. <br /><br />Doris, 83, is the primary caretaker of her 53-year-old daughter, Suzanne, who suffers from Down's syndrome. Suzanne's health has recently taken a turn for the worse, and heart complications have began to concern both family and doctors. <br /><br />Before Katrina, Doris and Suzanne lived in a comfortable mobile home on family property, surrounded by children, grandchildren, cousins, nieces, and nephews. The entire Hauck family resided on one plot of land. <br /><br />Katrina separated the family temporarily, but nothing could keep this tight knit clan apart for too long. With her Road Home funds, Doris purchased materials to begin the framework on a house, which would serve as a modest dwelling for her disabled daughter and herself. With the help of volunteers, the family completed the framing and roofing of the home. However, they have since lacked the resources needed to finish the building process. Doris and Suzanne are currently staying in a guest bedroom of a family member's home. <br /><br />While she loves being so close to family, Doris worries about the current economic situation and her family's ability to continue supporting her and her daughter. With such pressing health and financial issues, Doris can't wait to move home. <br /><br />Everyday, as the two travel from doctor appointment to doctor appointment, Suzanne asks, "When can we go home, Mama?" <br /><br />With financial support from The Color Purple, this family is one step closer to being home. </p> <div class="clear">&nbsp;</div> <div id="btn_donate"> <a href="http://www.stbernardproject.org/v158/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=221&Itemid=38"><img src="images/btn_donate.gif" alt="Donate" /></a> </div> <div id="footer"> <a href="http://colorpurple.com"><img src="images/footer_url.gif" alt="Visit The Color Purple's official website" /></a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </body> </html>