Here is the story of one family that is thriving due to the stability afforded by their Habitat home: Adam Lavender, a finish carpenter, became a quadriplegic as a result of injuries sustained in a mountain biking accident in 2013. This sole income earner was struggling to survive day-‐to-‐day, let alone provide for his wife Tanell, teenage son, and two young daughters. Daily life was grim. Tanell was overwhelmed as Adam’s primary caregiver and the mother of three, and Adam was facing the real possibility of life in a nursing home, away from his young family, because finding an affordable, handicapped-‐accessible rental unit was impossible. It used to be really hard for my dad to go places with me! Now we can go to town together, just him and me. He can even come all the way to my school in his chair! ~ Ananda, Adam’s daughter, age 7 Adam and his family did not have the means to change their dire situation on their own. It was only once they met with Habitat for Humanity Roaring Fork Valley that they could begin planning their future. They saved for their down payment, attended first-‐time homeowner and budgeting courses, and completed their 500 “sweat equity” hours building alongside the countless community members who helped construct the Lavender’s LEED Platinum, fully handicapped-‐accessible house. Adam was both a teacher and an inspiration to the homebuilding volunteers. After moving into their home last August, life for the Lavender family is looking much brighter. The home’s conveniences, such as an in-‐home therapy room, have freed up time to devote to the Lavender children, for Tanell to get a part-‐time job doing what she loves, teaching dance to young children, and for Adam to apply to natural medicine school so that he can use the learning gained from his journey to help others. Adam can ride the elevator to tuck his daughters into bed at night, and he can go on outings with his family that previously required great effort to make possible. This independence has been instrumental to Adam’s healing. I used to try to find a way to make it through each day. Now, the days seem too short. We are grateful to Habitat for Humanity for investing in our family and making our home work so well for us. It gives us all so much room to grow and we will fill it full! ~ Adam Lavender, October 2014
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