Janice's Fresh Start

For more than 35 years, Janice has built her life in her home in Burgaw. It is where she started over, where her family grew, and where she intends to remain.

After her divorce, Janice used her settlement to purchase land and a mobile home of her own. “A fresh start,” she called it. After 20 years of marriage, she had to relearn how to navigate the world independently while raising two daughters. The home became a place of stability, self-reliance, and pride.

Over the years, it also became the center of her family. Her daughters, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren live nearby. Later, Janice remarried, and when her second husband became ill, she spent 20 years caring for him. Through every season, her home remained constant.

As time passed, however, the physical condition of the home began to threaten the safety it once provided. Her porch deteriorated to the point where simply stepping outside felt dangerous.

“My porch was very unstable, and I was scared to go out on it,” Janice said.

Even access for emergency responders felt uncertain.

Living alone on a fixed income, repairs were not financially possible. While she was nervous to reach out for help, a neighbor’s experience with WARM NC gave her the courage to make the call.

New Stairs & Landing

When WARM NC volunteers arrived, they focused on the areas that mattered most for Janice’s safety and independence. Her porch was rebuilt, grab bars were installed in the bathroom, and unsafe light switches and electrical outlets were repaired. The changes were practical, but their impact was deeply personal.

“While I am living alone, I want to be safe,” Janice said. “It’s the safety of it that is comforting. It eases my mind.”

New Grab Bars

When asked what part of the repairs surprised or touched her most, she answered simply, “All of it. I’m so blessed.” She described the work as a gift of kindness, one she could not have provided for herself.

“WARM NC is willing to help where you can’t.”

For Janice, home is not just a place, it is her life’s work. “This is where I’m going to live and probably die,” she said. “I’ve lived here for 35 years, and I don’t want to go anywhere else. I started from scratch here. I’m very independent.”

Thanks to WARM NC volunteers and donors, Janice can continue living safely in the home she worked so hard to build, surrounded by family, memories, and the independence she values most.