For Rochelle Zenon, nothing is more important than family. Despite being a single, working mother, Rochelle always makes time for her boys, noting that togetherness is a must for their family. However, due to current space restrictions Rochelle’s two younger sons, Diego and Bakari, live with her mother while oldest son Joshua stays with a friend in Lafayette to be near work. Luckily, it won’t be long until all four will be able to live under one roof. In 2013, Rochelle saw an advertisement for the Habitat Homeownership Program on a local news website. After attending an interest meeting, she decided to fill out an application and hoped for the best.
Rochelle wanted to give her family some roots, and knew she could start with owning her own home. While on her commute from work a few months later, Rochelle got the call that her application had been accepted. Crying too much to continue her drive, she pulled onto the side of the road to call her sons and give them the good news; “I was just so happy!” Rochelle quickly moved through her required 300 sweat equity hours, and now maintains eight hours per month at either the construction site or in the ReStore. The Zenon family also learned home maintenance skills that they will be able to use themselves, ensuring that their home will stay in good hands.
Rochelle loves meeting and talking to new people, both in the ReStore and on the home sites, and enjoys her time volunteering. Through visiting and working with staff and customers alike, Rochelle notes that, “working with Habitat, they treat you like family,” she says. “It just makes you want to give more.” Since entering the homeownership program, she’s become more involved in her church as well as with charitable programs at work. In giving to others and in working towards her own goals, Rochelle looks forward to settling in and making her family’s house really feel like a home. Construction on the Zenon family home began at the end of October 2015 and the home dedication was be held in May 2016.
Media Coverage:
UL AmeriCorps 2015-2016, UL Habitat Club, UL Black Woman Leadership Association, UL National Organization for Minority Architecture Students, UL Beta Alpha Psi, UL Louisiana Engineering Society
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