Restoration Projects

Gloria Jones has lived in Greenville all her life. After high school she worked at the Woodside Mill for 12 years and  then the Whitehorse Mill for another six . As the mills  closed, she moved on to a nutrition and vitamin  manufacturer where she spent 26 years and was finally  able to retire and enjoy time with her three grown kids,  two nieces (which she also raised) and six grandchildren.  “They keep me plenty busy!” 

Glorida has lived at 306 Fairmont Drive in the Gantt  area for the past 26 years, but hasn’t been able to keep  up with the growing maintenance on her 1950s era home as  costs have continued to rise. “If it wasn’t for Habitat, I’d  probably have to move,” according to Gloria. “But  this is my home and my community, and I don’t want to  leave. I’m so thankful to Habitat for keeping me here!” 

Volunteers and Funding from Faith Partners, Greenville  County Redevelopment Authority (GCRA) and the Duke  Foundation were able to upgrade her bathroom for  accessibility and plumbing leaks, rebuild a failing deck,  add insulation in her attic along with other  weatherization services, install new gutters and refresh  the landscaping, install new LED lights, and add a moisture barrier in her crawlspace. And though her new  bathroom and deck are her favorite spots, the new  electricity bills are a big win for Ms. Jones. “I was blown  away when I opened my most recent bill and it was only  $72 in the heat of summer. I usually pay $300 or more!” 

Despite the many upgrades, Gloria’s favorite part of  the project was getting to meet the volunteers and  Habitat staff over the past few months. “Everyone was so kind. I really enjoyed them talking to me and how  friendly they were. They even gave me lunch and fixed  plates of leftovers for me and put them in the fridge!” 

A big THANK YOU from Gloria & Habitat to all our  partners who helped make this project a success!