Critical Home Repair Spotlight: Ms. Mattocks

Ms. Mattocks, Lacey WA

South Puget Sound Habitat for Humanity’s Critical Home Repair program helps seniors age in place.

Critical Home Repair (CHR) is a program that works directly with homeowners who need assistance with critical repairs to address health and safety issues in their home. CHR provides a vital service to homeowners, makes a positive impact on their lives and often times their neighborhoods as well.

Nearly 70 percent of homeowners served through this program are seniors, a population that is especially vulnerable during the winter months. Research shows that seniors who age in place, or reside in their own homes later in life, are able to maintain a sense of independence, a higher quality of life, and better health conditions, which is something our CHR program strives to provide.

Lacey-area-resident Linda Mattocks purchased her home nearly 27 years ago with her husband who had a thriving tile business in the community. When her husband passed away over 10 years ago, Linda began doing construction herself off and on… After Linda retired at age 64, she experienced a series of serious health issues, leaving her unable to walk and wheelchair bound.

Ms. Mattocks says “I am a person that believes in silent prayer every day, and the holy spirit told me to call Habitat for Humanity.” Ms. Mattocks has a caregiver, and together they called South Puget Sound Habitat for Humanity and applied for help through the Critical Home Repair Program.

Ms. Mattocks says working with the Critical Home Repair team was “Great. I was feeling really hopeless” She says with tears of gratefulness “I lost faith. And when the Habitat team did this for me, it restored my faith in humanity.”

South Puget Sound Habitat for Humanity brought in a team to make the necessary repairs. We fixed and replaced the damaged sheet rock throughout her downstairs , removed the popcorn ceiling and wallpaper, re-textured the ceiling and walls, and replaced the flooring. Before the repair, the damage in the room not only negatively impacted her life and health it also “broke her heart”.

Ms. Mattocks was overjoyed with the critical home repairs to her downstairs. She is now able to access this room with her wheelchair and watch her neighborhood. She likes to sit and look out the big window and “dream about the good ole’ days”. When we asked Ms. Mattocks, what does home mean to you? She said “EVERYTHING”. She moved around a lot when she was younger, and when her and her late husband bought this home, she said “this is my last home, and it has been”.

Our Critical Home Repair program is generously funded by local foundations, city and county grants and private donors. The CHR program has a huge impact on Thurston County senior homeowners. Not only does it improve their living conditions and accessibility, it also helps them to maintain their independence and stay in their homes. Another added benefit is that it brings the community together, by providing volunteers an opportunity to help their neighbors and make a positive impact on the community. It is a win-win situation for everyone involved.

Learn more about our Critical Home Repair program here and how you can support this important work https://www.spshabitat.org/what-we-do/critical-home-repair/