When we last saw Juanita Gomez, her mobile home was waiting to be rebuilt after the destruction of Hurricane Harvey. So naturally, we wanted to check in with her and see how the rebuilding was coming along. We were relieved to see that her home had been mucked and gutted – but she was still looking to make her house really feel like a home.
Juanita explained to one of our team members over the phone that she doesn’t feel like herself when she isn’t able to cook. For her, cooking meals for her family brings joy, meaning, and satisfaction. Not to mention she finds it very therapeutic, which is so important these days! During the flood, she lost all her cookware, leaving her unable to take part in her favorite activity – cooking. She was using a stick from her yard in the place of a wooden spoon.
Now that Juanita’s house was livable, it was time to make it a home! So on Day 289, that’s just what we did.
We presented Juanita with bowls, cups, cutting boards, pots, pans, towels, and of course, treats for her dog Bella. If everyone else was going to be eating good food again, we couldn’t leave Bella out.
“I am going to make mole!” Juanita told us as she looked over her new cookware with pride.
We hope that the family meals, great smells, and time spent together will help to make everything feel a little more normal for Juanita and her family as they continue to rebuild their home.
