HAMPTON, Va. — You may know the saying, "when one door closes, another opens." For Jeff Scott, he's experienced many doors closing on him over the past few years.
Scott said he and his wife raised their five children in Hampton and he considers them to be the foundation of his life. He said not long before the COVID-19 pandemic started, he and his family fell on hard times.
After badly hurting his knee, he lost his job in which he was making more than $100,000 a year. He said it turned his family's life upside-down.
“We lost everything. We couldn’t afford, at the time, we couldn’t afford rent. I lost my truck," said Scott. "We lost everything financially, and we had to live with a particular family member and stayed in a room, and I was injured, so I couldn’t walk for about four to six months.”
Scott said he and his family then had to rent out a house for the time being. Eventually, he learned the foundation of the house they were in was caving in due to mold and deterioration. Once again, Scott said he felt his life crumbling.
He said his aunt encouraged him to apply for Habitat for Humanity Peninsula and Greater Williamsburg to help get a new home. Scott said when he learned about his home's foundation deteriorating, he applied and even wrote the organization a personal letter, telling them his story.
Right at the beginning of 2020, Scott said he received a notice that he and his family were eligible for a new home with the organization. Thrilled, he couldn't wait to get started. However, just about a month later, the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the nation and he had to wait even longer for a home.
He said as his family was stuck in limbo, they came to desperate times and almost had to split up.
"Because they would’ve had to go to North Carolina and I couldn’t be away from my family," said Scott as he wiped away tears. "Because that’s where I believe my strength comes from…my family.”
The Scott family didn't give up in this difficult time. Seeking help from generous people in the community, Scott credits a man in Hampton for allowing his family to rent out his Airbnb at a lower cost.
Mimi Mitchell, the Volunteer Coordinator with Habitat for Humanity Peninsula and Greater Williamsburg, said its families like the Scotts who keep her and others building the pillars of this home.
“A lot of us come from some type of adversity and have to go through something, but something great happens at the end. So, that’s what I love about his story and how we get to help and become a part of that story," Mitchell said.
For Scott, this home now means a new foundation for his family to stand on together.
“We are about to be in this house, so it is definitely inspiring for me, because we fought through it,” Scott said.
Habitat for Humanity homes are sold to partner families earning less than 80% of the area’s median income. Habitat homebuyers must meet income requirements to pay off their homes over 15 to 30 years.
Habitat for Humanity Greater Williamsburg and Peninsula is one of several organizations highlighted as part of our Give Local 757 campaign on May 10. For more information about the organization, click here.