SARASOTA, Fla. — All Serov works three jobs to support herself and her three children. She moved to the United States from Ukraine as a teenager with her parents and two brothers 26 years ago.
But in the last eight years, she and her children have had to move four times, and at one point, the family of four found themselves homeless.
Constant rental rate hikes and maintenance issues that went unfixed by her landlord forced Shaqanda Dillard and her two kids to move in with her family six months ago. A single mother, Dillard put herself through college, becoming the first in her family to attend college.
Like many single parents, Serov and Dillard have struggled to provide a roof over their kids’ heads.
Homeownership can be difficult to attain for single parents. But for both Sarasota single mothers, this became a reality on Tuesday.
“I feel like this is a dream, and it’s not me, for sure. I was never in my life expecting this to be with me,” Serov said.
Both mothers closed on their new homes today thanks to Habitat for Humanity Sarasota.
Their two families were each greeted by surprise by Tampa Bay Buccaneers legend Warrick Dunn.
Both homes were fully furnished by Aaron’s and fully stocked by Warrick Dunn charities. Dunn also handed each mother a five thousand dollar check to help with their downpayment.
“I was elated seeing the football, the couches, everything lit up,” Dillard said.
“I thought it was only for the pictures at first, but I was told it’s all mine, and I still cannot believe this,” Serov said.
Serov stood in disbelief when she walked into her new home.
“That’s the type of impact you want to have, someone who this is not what they were expecting, they have no idea who I am and it’s like, ‘I don’t deserve this, I don’t deserve this,” Dunn said “No, you have done your part. No, you have done your part to get to this point in your life. You do deserve it.”
These two homes made 225 houses that Dunn has helped turn into a home, stocking them with home with food, pots and dishes, electronics and all the essentials.
Dunn’s single mother died when he was only 18 years old, leaving him to raise his five siblings. The importance of home ownership was something she instilled in him
“The commonality is they want to put their kids in a better situation, in a better environment, create more stability,” Dunn said.
Both mothers were overwhelmed by the discovery that their new homes were filled with everything they needed and were looking forward to making new memories.
“I’ll be crying for a couple days, maybe a month. I can’t believe it,” Serov said.
A state report says hundreds of frail elderly nursing home residents were stacked side by side, head to toe in a small church with no working air conditioning or refrigerator during Hurricane Helene.
