Support Darlene's Urgent Home Repairs

My name is Darlene Joseph Jones, who you may know as a lifelong New Orleanian and highly engaged member of our community. I'm writing because I need help to make my home habitable, and have peace of mind as I continue my community-focused (tho, unpaid) work. Usually, I'm the one that offers support. But, now, it's me asking. I need to raise $20,000 towards immediate home repairs.

I bought my Trémé home after Katrina, as one of those who returned committed to rebuild NOLA & maintain our unique culture. Fighting for our way of life and the residents of this city & state is also why I recently ran for, and won, seats on the Democratic State Central Committee (DSCC) and the Orleans Parish Democratic Executive Committee (OPDEC,) as part of the VOTE slate. I'm an active member of Together New Orleans and other community groups, where I like to think I give us, especially seniors, a voice. Now, I'm here to advocate for myself and my home.

I bought my home as a naive, first time homebuyer. I found out that the post Katrina renovation to my home was done in exchange for residence by the construction crew. The work was so shoddy, that the washroom addition was never attached to the mainframe of the house. LITERALLY, the back of my house was falling off! Thank God, at that time, I was able to secure a grant from the Preservation Resource Center to address that issue. But, as we know, none of the organizations tasked with helping people, even disabled and/or seniors, has funding. I've tried. So, here I am. I'm in dire need of serious repairs to my home. A section of the ceiling in the living room fell, and when touched by a contractor who came to look at it, most of the rest of the ceiling also fell. I realized I had to DO something besides wait & watch my home deteriorate! The rotting inferior, untreated wood around the windows is leaking & needs to be replaced. The house needs to be painted, inside & out. The washroom floor has to be replaced...sections are rotten and fallen. I have wooden floors with loose, missing & rotten boards, and the floors need to be varathaned. I may even need a new central a/c unit. Needless to say, it would be defeatist to try to patch all of this! I'm going BIG, and praying for the money needed to make my home comfortable and safe. I'm a disabled, single senior and I need peace of mind knowing I can be cared for comfortably, in my home, if/when that time comes. So, on the advice of friends, I've created this GoFundMe. Please help me save my home and donate. Every & ALL donations will be GRATEFULLY appreciated. Thank u, BEAUCOUP! BIGHUG