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Home will be built in Wilkes-Barre for mother and daughter in need

The Citizens' Voice - 3/21/2023

Mar. 21—Single mom Sherri Hall and her 5-year-old daughter, Skyla Hall, a quadriplegic with cerebral palsy, soon will have a custom ADA-compliant home built for them on Monroe Street in Wilkes-Barre, UNA, a nonprofit corporation in Luzerne County, announced.

Maryann Velez, UNA founder, president and CEO, and a candidate for Luzerne County Council, said Sherri and Skyla Hall were chosen as the first recipients of UNA's "Welcome Home" affordable housing program.

Wilkes-Barre Mayor George Brown and city officials donated two empty lots at 43 Monroe St. for $1 each and that is where the affordable home will be built, Velez said. Brown also helped UNA receive a $7,500 grant funded by the American Rescue Plan for the project.

She said UNA chose the Hall family as the recipient to help give Skyla every opportunity to grow in a home catered to meet her needs. The home will be designed so Sherri can properly care for her daughter's needs without restrictions, she said.

"We could not think of a more deserving family who faces insurmountable challenges daily," Velez said. "Every family deserves to have a home and place for their children to thrive. That's our hope for the Hall family."

Sherri Hall said she and her daughter now live in a two-story home in Hanover Twp. Since her daughter is wheelchair bound, she has a lift for her to go upstairs.

After facing many challenges and lacking support, Hall said she "couldn't be more grateful" that she and her daughter were named the recipients of the "Welcome Home" affordable housing program.

"It will be life-changing for my little girl. I couldn't be happier," Hall said. "We've been through so much and this couldn't have come at a better time."

UNA is selling raffle tickets until March 31 to raise funds for the affordable housing program and to build the first affordable tiny home in Wilkes-Barre.

The nonprofit's mission is help people in need by providing resources and programs that aim to end poverty and homelessness while meeting the needs of a diverse population.

Velez said the nonprofit was started during the height of the pandemic. Since 2020, she said they have been receiving frantic phone calls from residents of Luzerne and Lackawanna counties who can't find affordable housing. She said one of the organization's main goals is to reinvest in the community.

People formerly would dump trash in the empty lots on Monroe Street and Mayor Brown said the street is going to be made over.

He said the affordable home that will be built for Sherri and Skyla Hall is a good investment and it touches his heart that it will benefit the young girl.

"I couldn't think of a better family. My heart is filled with trying to help people with special needs," Brown said. "My number one project is to help people with limitations. We should be doing these type of projects and I will continue in the future to help people like that."

Contact the writer:

dallabaugh@citizensvoice.com 570-821-2115, @CVAllabaugh

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