Kicking off the ceremony was Reverend Wimberly of Mountainside Methodist Church who administered the invocation, blessed the house and presented Elvira with a Bible for her family and a bottle of blessed oil to keep.

Various other speakers from both the church and representing GAHH board and staff, presented Elvira with handmade quilts for her and her children, a basket of necessities for the house, a hand-made bookshelf and a Barnes and Noble gift card to purchase books, a toolbox and hammer to get the new homeowner started, and finally, the keys.

Then, with a smile so wide and beautiful, she accepted the scissors from our Executive Director and snipped the red ribbon crossing her front porch, it was official! Never again would she have to worry about the rent being raised, or the neighborhood where her kids played – this was her forever home.

The movers were coming that same day with her furniture and as the ceremony concluded, the kids ran inside to claim their bedrooms and excitedly talked about how they would decorate.

In her words, “God brought us to this day. He heard my prayers and answered them and I will be forever grateful to all involved. Thank you so much.”