For the past 22 years, Zenna’s home in Burgaw has been a place of comfort, independence and plenty of family memories. She raised her children in the Charlotte area before moving to southeastern North Carolina, but many of her grandchildren grew up spending time in this house. When asked what she loves most about being home, Zenna had a simple answer: “It’s the sanctuary.”
Being able to stay there has become increasingly important to Zenna as she gets older. She hopes to age in place, but maintaining a home on a fixed income has made that harder. Her roof was original to the house, built in 2004, and after years of North Carolina weather, including Hurricane Florence and other storms, it was beginning to show its age.
“Each storm does a little bit more,” Zenna said. “And, of course, the roof is the first line of defense.”
Eventually, the roof began leaking into the kitchen, two bedrooms and a bathroom, leaving water damage on the ceiling. Zenna knew it needed to be replaced, but the cost simply wasn’t something she could take on. At one point, she was even advised to consider selling the house. That didn’t feel like much of a solution either. She would still need somewhere to live, and she didn’t want to depend on her children to support her.
“I couldn’t see a clear answer,” she said. “But I knew I didn’t have the money to pay for a roof replacement.”
Zenna’s daughter eventually learned about WARM NC and encouraged her to reach out. Along with replacing the roof, WARM NC completed several repairs to make it easier and safer for Zenna to continue living independently. A ramp was built at the back of the house, handrails were installed in the bathroom and the glass sliding shower doors were removed to reduce the risk of another fall.
Zenna jokes that the five steps outside her back door feel “like a mountain” when she doesn’t have the strength to manage them. Having the ramp gives her another way in and out of her home, while the bathroom modifications have made another part of her daily routine safer.
Still, replacing the roof addressed the worry that had been hanging over her for years. She remembers the difference she felt once the work was finished: “A burden had been lifted from my shoulders.”
Zenna also remembers the people who showed up to make it happen. There were crews working around the property and volunteers helping with the ramp, including one woman she remembers sanding down the rough wood so it wouldn’t splinter. Since then, she has kept up with WARM NC on Facebook and noticed the local businesses, donors and volunteers who continue to support repairs for homeowners like her.
“For myself and for others who are in similar situations, gratitude prevails, that you are able and willing to give and help,” Zenna said.
Zenna knows there are other homeowners facing circumstances similar to hers, and she also knows how quickly life can change. She started working when she was just 13 years old and continued working for many years, never imagining she might one day find herself unable to afford a repair her home needed.
Today, Zenna has a new roof overhead, a safer way to get in and out of the house and modifications that make everyday life a little easier. She can continue living in the place she has called home for 22 years, the place that, to her, is simply a sanctuary.