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Wanda* grew up in Asheville and attended Enka High School. After becoming pregnant at age 17, she left school and began working for a local grocery story. With her second daughter arriving by the age of 19, Wanda gave up any dreams of an education and focused her energies on providing for her young family.

 

Eventually, Wanda fell in love with a gentleman from Black Mountain, where they married and started a cleaning business. Wanda kept it going for 25-years.

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Injured in a car accident in 2010, today, Wanda is 70-years-old and struggles to navigate her home—her leg injuries keep her attached to her walker. Her husband eventually developed a serious lung condition and together they rely on food stamps and social security checks to make ends meet.

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When their roof sprung a leak—directly over the toilet—Wanda and Eric had no resources to address the problem. According to Wanda, "I was the only person in Black Mountain who could take a shower while I was using the bathroom!"

 

In spite of her good-natured attitude, a year-and-a-half of leaking made the problem much worse.

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