Lucille Hills is typical New Orleans
Currently, we have 180 homeowners in our program with more applying every week. Many of our homeowners are like Ms. Lucille Hills. Lucille Hills is as New Orleans as they come. A wonderful cook who is devoted to her two children, she has spent her life working hard and trying to do the right thing.
As Hurricane Katrina approached, she evacuated to Douglasville, Georgia, a small town south of Atlanta. Her son Willie was teaching school there at the time. She would end up staying there for three months before returning home to live with family friends in Marrero.
Nearly two years later, that is where she still lives. Needles to say, Miss Lucille is anxious to get back in her home at 1940 Congress Street. Congress Street has been a home for her, Willie, and daughter Joycelyn for the last 35 years.
Miss Lucille is retired from the Orleans Parish School board, after serving as a cafeteria cook at W.C. C. Claiborne elementary school in Gentilly Woods. She was “Mama Hills” to so many of the children at that school, lending a supportive ear, a safety pin to tidy up a shirt or even socks when they needed those. She worked two other jobs, in addition to the one at school, sometimes not getting back home till 10 p.m. at night.
Miss Lucille now has diabetes and needs a knee operation. Getting back home will be the perfect remedy for her.
So, on behalf of Miss Lucille and hundreds of others who will be helped by our program, we thank you. The generosity of you and many others will never be forgotten.
