Meet the Georges

Photos

Candace George, a single mother of two daughters and three sons, found it nearly impossible to cope with the rental apartment they occupied—a one-bedroom, fifth-floor walk-up. Her baby, Daniel, had contracted asthma from black mold in the unit and was frequently rushed to the hospital. Rats were so familiar that the kids gave them names. In such a tight space, they found doing homework more and more difficult.

Candace became a Habitat-NYC Family Partner in 2003 and gladly gave time on weekends to finish her three-bedroom home in Bed-Stuy. The stability the Georges found in their environmentally friendly brick row house has transformed their lives in many ways. Daniel no longer suffers from asthma; the children are all doing well in school and play safely in their own back yard. The eldest, Soudea, attends Reed College in Oregon on full scholarship. Secure in her own home, Candace hopes one day to become a public interest lawyer.

Take a tour of the Georges’ Habitat-NYC home. (video)