Cola Mae Harris, 82, lives in a modest home off St. Augustine Road. A widow, Harris has managed to maintain the home in a reasonable condition - until now.
Rotting floorboards in the kitchen and bathroom at the rear of the home and a deteriorating roof in the kitchen make the home unsafe.
Members of the Renewed Life Ministries Church near Harris’ home became concerned when the kitchen roof began to cave in and Harris had no electricity available in the kitchen.
“Mother Harris has been a devoted member of our church for 46 years,” said Remonia Jolly, also a member of the Renewed Life Ministries Church. “She always said God would take care of her. And, we know He is taking care of her now.”
Jolly said the church was preparing to take on the repair of Harris’ home when one of the members wrote a letter to City Councilman Reggie Fullwood. Fullwood’s assistant, Matt Jackson, contacted Builders Care, requesting assistance in making the home safe.
“The home itself is very typical of the homes we repair,” said Chris Simons, Builders Care construction manager. “And, Mrs. Harris is very much like the majority of our customers - proud, independent and so very grateful for help in restoring her home to a safe living condition.”
Simons said the majority of Builders Care’s customers are elderly widows - affectionately dubbed “grandmas” by the Builders Care staff and volunteers - who own their homes but are unable to perform even routine maintenance due to limited financial resources. Over a period of years, they become trapped in their unsafe homes, afraid to tell others of their plight for fear of losing the only tangible asset they own and becoming a burden on their families.
Harris is a special customer, according to Simons.
“She has blessed so many people over the years with her music and her faith,” he said. “She was the choir director of her church for 33 years and a member of a gospel singing group. Now it’s her turn to receive a blessing. The church is taking a leading role in this project. And, it turns out, Mrs. Harris is Builders Care’s 500th customer - an important landmark for us, too.”