L’Tahnya remembers when there was nothing behind her home but trees. Nearly three decades ago, a friend brought her out to the property, a quiet stretch of land removed from the noise and traffic. She was given the rare opportunity to choose, the lot, the layout, the number of bedrooms. At the time, her three children were still young. It was, in every sense, a place to build a life. “It was awesome raising my kids here,” she said. “They loved it.” The home became the backdrop to years of...

On quiet mornings in Onslow County, Betty likes to sit on her porch and feel the breeze move through the trees. It’s a simple ritual, a few minutes of fresh air, a moment to gather herself before the day begins. For Betty, 66, these small moments have taken on new meaning. Not long after WARM NC completed repairs to her home, she received news that would change the rhythm of her life. She was diagnosed with cervical cancer and began a two-year course of treatment at the Zimmer Cancer Center...

By the time Shameka bought her home in Rocky Point in 2014, she was already carrying more responsibility than most people her age. Both of her parents were sick, and she was the one close enough to help. She moved from Burgaw not because she wanted something new, but because she needed something workable, something affordable, something that would allow her to be present for the people who depended on her. Shameka The mobile home cost less than the apartment she had been living in, a...