Meet the Harrell family

Palm Coast Observer
Neighbors

Soon-to-be Habitat homeowner Kim Harrell is a picture taker. And the building process of her Habitat home is no exception.

When they cleared her lot on Royal Palm Lane, she was there, taking pictures. The minute a portable toilet showed up on the property she was taking pictures and texting her friends to tell them the news.

“It means things are happening,” she said while sitting in the Flagler Habitat for Humanity office during her lunch break, in her bright pink Jet’s Daycare T-shirt.

Not only were things happening, they were happening fast and big. Harrell had also qualified for the State Housing Initiatives Partnership, which provides down payment and closing cost assistance. And on top of all that, her home was also awarded a $35,000 grant from Lowe’s, a national partner with Habitat since 2004.

“Lowe’s’ ongoing commitment to Habitat allows my colleagues and me to experience first-hand the impact Habitat makes on people’s lives every day,” said Jim Bayer, manager of the Palm Coast store, who was at the construction site Saturday, March 10, with 19 other volunteers from the store to participate in raising the walls.

Exactly a year to the day after Harrell got the phone call saying she was approved, she stood on the cement slab of her soon-to-be home with her 5-year-old daughter, Annalyse, with their jewel-laden hard hats in their hands. Fighting back tears of joy, Harrell told her family and volunteers who were there how much their support meant to her and Annalyse.

“When I sat in that building that day with 80 other people, I thought, There is no way they are going to choose me,” she said. “It was the most amazing thing the day I got that phone call. I cannot believe that we’re here today. This is really mine. Annalyse and I are going to have something and we could not do this without you guys.”

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