Roxanne Thomas was confined to a wheelchair, out of a job and soon to be out of a home, until someone decided to build one for her.
On Saturday morning, volunteers from Starkville’s Habitat for Humanity, members of local churches and other community members removed the first pile of dirt from the site that will become Thomas’ new home.
Thomas, a Mississippi State alumna and former Starkville music teacher, will reside there with her 13-year-old son and her mother when it is completed.
Thomas’ financial stability began to deteriorate when she was stricken with multiple sclerosis about 15 years ago, said Freddie Rasberry, executive director of Habitat for Humanity in Starkville.
No longer able to work, Thomas’ only income became disability paychecks, and her mother moved in to take care of her.
Shay McDonnall, a Starkville resident, said Thomas thought she had reached her end when the landlord of her small two-bedroom rental told her the house was being sold, and she and her family had to leave.
A chance Scrabble session over the Internet introduced McDonnall to Pennsylvania resident Jim Smith, a former consultant to MSU’s engineering department.
When Smith realized Thomas’ situation he contacted McDonnall and suggested they contact Habitat for Humanity for help.
Mcdonnall said she thought, “That’s a shot in the dark.”
She started passing out fliers around the community and telling Thomas’ story to people at her church. Smith took a week’s vacation off work and began talking with building contractors in Starkville. Thomas put in an application for housing.
“When we looked at the application, she stood out,” Rasberry said.
In order for applicants to be considered for housing, they must attend an intake meeting. Then they are assessed on the basis of need, their ability to repay a 20-year, interest-free loan and their ability to partner with Habitat to help build the house.
Applicants are required to contribute at least 500 hours of “sweat equity” toward building the home.
“[Thomas] had disability income,” Rasberry said. “She certainly had the need.”
As for the final requirement, Thomas’ medical condition would prevent her from contributing any labor, and McDonnall said that worried her. Smith, however, came up with a solution.
“[Smith] said, ‘I will come down and work,'” McDonnall said.
Rasberry began enlisting help from local churches and the plans began to come together. Twenty-two churches signed up to help build Thomas’ new home, creating a nickname for the project-the “Apostles House.”
“We’re not only building a house for Roxanne,” Rasberry said. “We’re building a house of God.”
Rasberry said Thomas is just one of many people in Oktibbeha County who need help with their living situation.
“People don’t think about Oktibbeha County as having a high poverty rate,” Rasberry said.
In fact, he said, the county has a poverty rate of over 28 percent, the 18th highest in the state.
“As a whole, the goal of Habitat for Humanity is to eliminate a
MSU’s Habitat chapter also contributes to this cause, but usually outside of the community.
“You can have a reason to go help build houses around Starkville because you see someone’s living conditions,” said Les Graves, a junior psychology major.
Graves will lead a team of State student volunteers to Panama City, Fla., this Spring Break to help with the construction of another Habitat home.
Graves said it can be more difficult to travel somewhere and build a house for someone you don’t know and probably will never meet.
He said the group chose to go to Florida so they could still enjoy themselves while helping those in need.
“They get to go help, but still have fun on Spring Break,” Graves said.
Rasberry said that having a good time is one of the most important things for volunteers.
“We always need more volunteers,” Rasberry said. “Our number one goal is that the volunteers have a good experience.”
In the meantime, the community members already offering their time will begin work on Thomas’ new home March 8.
Each year 20 to 30 people apply for housing through Habitat, but only two or three houses are built each year, Rasberry said. The houses built typically cost about $40,000 and require two to three months of labor.
So far $31,000 of the $45,000 needed to build the house has been raised or donated. More fund-raisers are being planned, including a benefit concert by Peter’s Rock Mass Choir at First United Methodist Church at 4 p.m. Saturday.
Rasberry said a love offering will be taken.
For more information or to find out how you can help, contact Habitat for Humanity at 324-7008.