| Family trades in FEMA trailer |
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With the eye of the storm almost 200 miles away, Christine Shumach and her family decided to wait out Hurricane Katrina. “We thought that the worst Mobile would get is heavy winds,” she said. “But it was a huge, huge storm.” Mobile County got heavy winds,and a whole lot more. “The whole neighborhood was wiped out. Our house was flooded with four feet of water. Everything was destroyed—beds, couches and appliances.” Despite the experience, Shumach has maintained her sense of humor. “Well, I learned that refrigerators float. We watched apples and TV dinners floating through the house. It was kind of crazy.” With no place to live, Shumach and her daughter, Cheyenne moved from friend to friend until they received a FEMA trailer, where they have been living for the past year. “It’s been kind of tough, but I was thankful to have it – a place to stay.” Permanent, affordable housing has been scarce. “Everyone started moving in from New Orleans and other parts of the gulf coast. It was almost impossible to find anything to rent. And then they jacked the prices up on rent to almost twice the cost. So we were stuck,” she added. A friend gave Shumach a flyer about Habitat for Humanity. She went through the application process and to her delight, was selected to partner, and will be moving into one of the Irvington homes. “It was amazing to find that so many people actually cared. I’ve met so many wonderful people. I hope they all realize that they are helping so many of us, and we really, truly appreciate it,” she said. Shumach has particularly enjoyed putting in her sweat equity and learning new skills. “It gives me a greater appreciation for having the home. It means a lot to me to be able to say ‘I helped to build that house.’” Her daughter, now age 6, is looking forward to having her own room and a place to ride her bike. “She is so excited. Every one of the pictures that Cheyenne draws now has a house right in the middle,” Shumach said. “This home means everything to me. This is my little corner of the world where I can raise my child.” Contributed by Sharon Rolenc |
