Maxton, NC – Hurricane Matthew did not spare any part of Venissa Locklear’s mobile home. “We lost shingles and vinyl siding,” she says. “Moisture got underneath the floors, causing them to cave in. And there was water damage inside the walls and around the windows, too.” While the family was able to make a few quick fixes, such as throwing a tarp over the roof, the home needed more substantial repairs. Locklear’s son suggested that she buy a used mobile home that was in better condition than theirs, but there were none at the sales park. The salesman suggested Locklear try ReBuild NC. “
My husband said, ‘Nobody is going to just give you a house!’” she remembers. “But I went directly from the sales park to the ReBuild NC Center anyway.” Locklear applied for financial assistance. “Everyone was so helpful,” she says. “All of a sudden, everything started falling into place.”
ReBuild NC determined that the home was too damaged to repair. “When they told me that we were getting a brand-new mobile home, I was blown away,” she says. “It was breathtaking. There were a lot of happy tears.”
ReBuild NC provided financial assistance for the family to stay at a motel between demolition of the old place and delivery of the new one. “We were close by, so I went to the site every day,” Locklear says. “My contractor would keep me up to date and let me know how I could help the process move forward.”
Today, Locklear is enjoying the comfort her new mobile home provides. “There’s so much room for us all. My closet is the size of a small bedroom!” she exclaims. “I tell everyone: it could happen for you. All you have to do is give ReBuild NC a try.”