Local Church Rallies to Renovate Home for Single Mom (with Video)

This year, Mother’s Day was far from average for Laura Chavez and her six children. Just days before Mother’s Day, Laura and her children were handed the keys to their newly restored home that had been completely renovated by volunteers from Sandals Church. The home, owned by the family since it was built in 1925, had fallen into disrepair with a leaking roof, crumbling floors and a patchwork electrical system, among many other issues. When volunteers from Sandals Church visited the home to deliver Christmas gifts that had been donated to the family, they knew the church needed to step in to help restore the home and support the family. “There is so much need all around us, and while we can’t do everything we wish we could for everyone, we wanted to do something for someone and really make a difference in this family’s life,” noted Pastor Matt Brown, lead pastor at Sandals Church. “I wanted to challenge our church to follow the example of the Good Samaritan and do something for one person that they wish they could do for everyone.” As word spread about the home, several business owners and volunteers within the church stepped up to offer their services and help fully restore the home at no cost to the family. The church backed the efforts by sponsoring a work day for men in the church at the home and began to discreetly invite people to support the effort with a call to be real family for someone they had never met. Through a social media campaign called #ourrealfamily, donations began to flood in as people were offered the opportunity to purchase items from a Sandals Church registry, send in text message donations to help buy new bunk beds and help recruit volunteers when work was needed at the house. When they day of the reveal came, Sandals Church also helped Laura’s 18-year-old son Jonathan travel back to Riverside from Monterey Bay, where he has been attending college, so that he could be a part of the celebration. When Laura and her children walked into the home, Jonathan was waiting to surprise them in the living room. Chavez’s son, Xavier, thanked the church and volunteers after seeing the home, saying, “We all feel like we’re starting a new life, that we can start over.” Founded in 1997, Sandals Church meets at two locations in Riverside, CA with an average weekly attendance of over 5,000 locals. For a video on Laura’s story, the remodeling process and reveal, view the video here . We would like to thank the following businesses and individuals who have made significant contributions to the #ourrealfamily effort: Adrian Fonseca, Fonseca Construction, Concrete Bob Romain, Landscaping Brian Boyd, Project Manager Brian Chelette, Plumbers Surplus Casey Calhoun, Moldings Plus, Inc. Champion Electric Chasity Testa Chuck Vela, Flooring Craig Brabant Drywall Dale Sanchez, Dale Sanchez Construction Daniel Lindholm, Roofing Dave Pulu, Statewide Fumigation David Colon, Cabinets Debbie Snyder, Fair Price Carpets Don Roseberry, Electrical Work Dwayne Wallace, DR Construction Elizabeth Richardson Expert Hardwood Flooring First Steps Class, Landscaping and Garden Frank Fajardo and F3 Building Services, Framing Jason Bourbonnais Jerry Ortega, Construction John Bennett, Electrical Work John Lawson, Painting John Moser, Repair Co. Joshua Tinsley, Electrical Work Ken Gordon, Plumbing Matt Aragon, Trash removal Michele Renover, Lowes Ron Swenson, City of Riverside Ronnie Jackson, Plumbing Ruth Norris, City of Riverside Scarlett Czarnecki The City of Riverside Tim Bagdanov, Cabinets Timothy Charette, Dewey Pest Control Tommy Gun Construction Tony Perkins, Framing Travis Randall, City of Riverside Additionally, this effort would not have been possible without the hundreds of people who responded to a simple call to be real family for someone you’ve never met. Whether you helped spread the word, offered your time and talent, gave money or made a purchase, your contribution has made a lasting impact on Our Real Family.