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Maria and her two teens, Natasha and Alex, lost everything— including Natasha’s artwork—in an apartment fire. They were devastated. Maria had worked so hard to create a home for her family and now all was lost. See how our volunteers created a completely new home for this lovely family.

Before: A folding table and chairs for mealtime.
After: A new dining space, complete with welcome basket.
Before: Sparse living area.
After: A cozy place to gather and relax.
Before: Mom's functional, but somewhat drab bedroom.
After: Transformed into a beautiful retreat in her favorite colors.
Before: Siblings shared space.
After: Alex's cool corner.
After: Natasha's lovely nook
Before: Here’s where Natasha used to do her homework and art.
After: A new, private study to inspire the student and artist.

The family came home and was amazed by the work our volunteers had done. 

The family came home and was wowed.
Alex jazzed about his new room and work out weights.

“God bless you! God bless you all,” said Maria with tears in her eyes.

A birthday surprise and more

Jennifer worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant before she fled a
domestic violence situation. She is now on disability but completing a GED with plans to return to work shortly. She and her three young children Samuel, Hannah and JJ had virtually no furniture and no beds. It was hard to have a normal family life. Now they have a real home where they have space to relax and enjoy their time together.

Before: Nowhere to sit in the living room.
After: Now there's room for everyone to relax, chat and enjoy their favorite shows.
Before: The dining room meant picnics on the floor every day.
After: Dinner is ready! With a yummy welcome basket to finish it off!
Before: Samuel’s not so comfy room.
After: Now we're talking! Black Panther theme!
Before: Hanna's room had no furniture.
After: A cute pink and purple room made for a princess.
Before: J.J.'s room was full of bags. No place to store clothes and toys.
After: A birthday surprise of a new room and cake, too!
Before: Mom's room—with a space to sleep on the floor.
After: A peaceful place to rest and recharge.
Before: An empty corner with a makeshift sleeping space.
After: The space becomes a study hall for the kids.

Jennifer and her children are overwhelmed with joy at their transformed home. Samuel ran and hugged the volunteers, one by one.

“Oh my Goodness, I can’t thank you enough!” Maria said when she saw her new home. “I never expected that it would be so nice. Now my children have a real home for the first time.”

And we, at Grateful Gatherings Marin, can’t thank you enough for your generosity and compassion. It truly takes a community and we are blessed to live in a community that cares for each other.

Thanks so much to St. Luke Presbyterian Church for lending us their beautiful location! We are also so grateful to BIRCH CIRCLE MOVERS and GOOD GREEN MOVING for their generosity in providing services for the day and to CITY CARPETS for donating brand new carpets.

 

 

With gratitude,
The Grateful Gatherings Marin Team

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