It was the perfect setting for a family reunion.
Plenty of food — Jambalaya, red beans and rice, macaroni and cheese, fried chicken, mustard greens, cornbread and peach cobbler ... just to name a few.
And plenty of fun — good conversation, laughter and song ... and a few tears.
“I’ve been cooking for the last two days, making sure there was enough food for everyone,” said Ailene Preston, whose home was the setting for the Sunday afternoon gathering.
“This day is a new beginning ... It lets me know that God answers prayers and is still in the blessing business,” she said, referring to the occasion for the gathering.
Preston’s home and the home of her new adopted family, neighbors Stanley and Shavonka White and children, were blessed during two Habitat for Humanity dedications.
“This is a great day,” said Tim Allred, board president of Lauderdale County Habitat for Humanity.
“And it’s a great day because it’s been a long time coming. We’re really excited about this,” Allred said.
The dedication marked the end of a special Habitat build for the local affiliate.
“These two houses are the last of our Hurricane Katrina Recovery Build,” said Fonda Rush, Habitat executive director. “We completed 17 houses — 13 new and four rehabilitated. But it’s not the end of Habitat, we’re moving forward to new projects.”
Ironically, the dedications took place during the anniversary week of Hurricane Katrina. Preston and The White Family were among evacuees who sought refuge in Meridian during the tropical storm.
“I feel truly blessed to be here today,” said Stanley White, who previously lived in New Orleans.
“We lost our home in the lower Ninth Ward during Hurricane Katrina. When we came here, we were just trying to move to safer grounds.”
But it was the outpouring of support from the community that prompted the family to make Meridian their new home.
“The community reached out to us,” White said. “And once we learned about the school system, we felt our children would receive a much better education here.”
White said his children, Anthony, Kashen and Stanley are “adjusting great” to their new home.
Although they are away from their family — most of them returned to New Orleans — The Whites have found family in Meridian through friends and neighbors, particularly Preston.
“They call me ‘Mama,’” said Preston, who was forced to leave her home in Picayune during Hurricane Katrina.
“I caught a ride here to Meridian with a friend and after staying with Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Ott for about six weeks, moved into Landmark Apartment,” she said.
Preston learned about Habitat while volunteering to help another home applicant. She was unable to do a lot of the physical work Habitat requires of homeowners to earn sweat equity. So The White Family stepped in to lend a hand.
“They opened their hearts to me and helped me; they are my new family,” Preston said.
The Katrina Recovery Build was made possible through a partnership with the National Board of Realtors. In addition, The Riley Foundation donated $50,000 to purchase furniture for the homes.
Both houses must undergo final inspections, Rush said. The Whites are expected to move in within a week, and Preston within the next two weeks.
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