Lakeysha and her three children received a remarkable surprise as they set foot into their new home in Tempe over Mother’s Day weekend, compliments of NFL Hall of Famer Kurt Warner and his supporting partners like U-Haul International.
Lakeysha and her three children, Kalea (19), Kelis (17), and Keyon (9) grew up in Arizona. But the family’s situation had been less than ideal living in cramped quarters.
This family’s dream of homeownership came to reality through Habitat for Humanity of Central Arizona with a new house in Tempe. The First Things First Foundation, a charity started by the former Arizona Cardinals quarterback and his wife Brenda, then stepped in along with its corporate sponsors to fill the house with amazing furnishings to brighten their lives as part of their Homes for the Holidays program.
“It’s the people that have been with us since day one, and the loyalty that comes with that. You said we’re doing our 56th house. No … it’s not (just) our 56th house. Whether it’s Aaron’s or U-Haul or Brooklyn Bedding or Sprouts or Habitat for Humanity, all those great organizations have followed us across the country. They’ve helped us to do this.
“It is what makes this special. This family gets to come in and take the next step forward, not having to look back and go, ‘OK, now I have a home but how do I fill it?’ And that next burden. So we’re so grateful for everybody that has come along. All the people that put time into this home that Lakeysha and her family may never see, but know that they had a hand in making a huge difference in this family’s life.”
— Kurt Warner, NFL Hall of Fame QB and founder of First Things First Foundation
U-Haul Community Impact
In addition to fully furnishing every home for the families Warner’s charity assists, partnering companies and their volunteers consider the individual preferences of the future residents. Once provided with the family members’ interests or desired themes, U-Haul volunteers go shopping for the perfect items.
The longstanding U-Haul partnership with the Warners has brought structure and joy to many hard-working, determined single mothers seeking a safe and stable environment for their children. Lakeysha now has enough space to raise her children, and a fully equipped house to make it truly feel like home.
Warners Giving Back
The Warners consistently show gratitude toward the Metro Phoenix community and continue to make a positive impact on others. The philanthropic work of First Things First and sponsors like U-Haul left Lakeysha and her family at a loss for words.
“That’s what this program is all about,” Warner noted. “We were there. Brenda was there as a single mom. We were there fighting for homeownership when we got together. So we understand that feeling. We feel like God has placed us in this position to be able to use those experiences and to impact people.”
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