April 2012 Update
We are so happy that Ms. Blanca’s home is complete!
70 year-old retired nurse (LPN), Mrs. Blanca Fuentes and her now deceased husband, Mr. Edwin, purchased their home at 1132 Felicity, in 1970. Originally from Trujillo, Honduras, she moved to New Orleans in 1960 and became a naturalized U.S. citizen. She is the mother of one son and two grandchildren.
During hurricane Katrina, Mr. & Mrs. Fuentes evacuated to Baton Rouge, while their son’s family went to Mississippi. They returned a month later to their neighborhood. Though no flooding occurred at their home, there was very significant wind damage. The Fuentes’ were very despondent about the damages they sustained, as well as those of their neighbors. Mrs. Blanca remembers crying uncontrollably, but was assured by her husband that their insurance company would take care of everything. However, the insurance company only offered them $5,000.00 to replace the roof, repair internal ceilings in three rooms, as well as re-do floor tiles and the pantry walls. This was impossible and the situation looked dismal at the time.
The Fuentes’, nevertheless, were hopeful and felt blessed that it wasn’t much worse. They declined the original insurance settlement but eventually a second offer of $35,000.00 was made to them. The family accepted that one and had a brand new roof installed. Most of the funds were expended on that roof and very little remained to invest in resolving the other damages. The family did what they could themselves utilize their own monthly pensions to purchase building supplies.
Then, in June of 2011, sadly, Mr. Fuentes passed away as a result of a malignant cancer. This left Mrs. Blanca to determine how to complete the remainder of both the external and internal home repairs and renovations.
Ms. Sandy is a good friend and confidante to Mrs. Blanca. She informed Mrs. Blanca of the wonderful work that was being done by the United Saints Recovery Project volunteers, including to her very own home. Ms Sandy praised United Saints highly for the excellent paint job done to her house.
She recommended and insisted that she (Mrs. Blanca) contact United Saints, according to Mrs. Blanca’s intake application. She did so and the volunteers proceeded to do power washing, sanding, and total exterior painting of Mrs. Blanca’s home. She recently observed how very pleased and thankful of the fantastic job conducted by United Saints volunteers to her two story two bedroom home.
