The Lay Family

Alma is moving into a home in north Durham. She has been an amazing force on site with her laughter, smiles, hard-work, and delicious tamales!

Meet Alma

Alma (on the left with her sister) is excited about the idea of becoming a grandmother.

“All my brothers and sisters have grandchildren. I can’t wait for my own. I don’t want to push my children, they will have children when they are ready and I’m proud of them for that. But I can’t wait to have grandchildren in my new Habitat home!”

Alma remembers what it was like visiting her abuela’s home in Mexico with her enormous extended family. “There were so many of us! She couldn’t afford presents so she would make us all tamales for Christmas.”

This year Alma’s grandmother turned 90 and with 5 sisters, 2 brothers, and plenty of spouses and grandchildren, her birthday party was a true celebration of life. “There were so many families and friends at her birthday party that we had to set up tarps in the backyard, we ran out of space!”

For Alma, home means family, friends and love. She brings joy and her big smile to every Habitat worksite, where she’s quickly completed her required sweat equity volunteer hours. Alma’s Durham Habitat home will be a place where her extended family…and hopefully grandchildren, someday!…can all help her celebrate the joy of homeownership.

We are so proud to partner with Alma and her family and can’t wait to see the future that is built with this stable environment to call home.

The House

The Lay Family home is being built by the Habitat site supervisor Jerry. Ryan is a member of Habitat’s construction team who will also be helping build the home.