AALA and MY HOUSE Have a Close Encounter With ABC's EXTREME HOME MAKEOVER! By: Donna Carson, Founder, MY HOUSE

MY HOUSE had an amazing visit on October 21, with producers from the ABC hit program, EXTREME HOME MAKEOVER , to explore MY HOUSE as a possible selection for building a new facility. For more than two long years, MY HOUSE has been searching for land in order to build a permanent facility that would allow for the care of at least 20 children with adequate space both inside and outside the house. A wonderful group called HomeAid Atlanta, the charitable arm of the Greater Atlanta Homebuilders Association, has been ready to take on the project of building a new facility for MY HOUSE once land can be secured. In the recent months, HomeAid actually built a single-family home in combination with EXTREME HOME MAKEOVER for a family in California. The joint effort went so well that the ABC network wanted to explore doing another project with HomeAid, and asked them for suggestions of projects that they were familiar with that needed help. Of course, HomeAid put forth the MY HOUSE needs and worked very hard at getting the EXTREME HOME MAKEOVER crew to come take a look for themselves at our current facility.

Early on the morning of October 21, the ABC team arrived at MY HOUSE and were greeted by staff, babies and many of the adoptive families whose children had called MY HOUSE home at some point in their lives. The producers toured the house, listened to the dreams and the realities with which the staff deals daily in caring for these little ones. They immediately felt the love in the house, but saw the lack of adequate space both inside and outside.

The EXTREME HOME MAKEOVER staff were moved by the miraculous stories told by the MY HOUSE staff, volunteers and adoptive families. Each person shared personal stories about life-changing events that they and the children have experienced. The adoptive parents brought their baby books and told the stories of what this home means in their lives and in that of their children. There was not a dry eye anywhere! When they learned how many children are turned away daily because of the limited number of children MY HOUSE can care for in the current facility, they were determined to make this happen. A two-hour visit turned into a four-hour visit and the meaning of MY HOUSE was clearly discovered by the producers.

We wait now for the "answer" from EXTREME HOME MAKEOVER as to whether MY HOUSE might be selected, and whether it will be scheduled for this season or for next. Regardless of their decision, HomeAid Atlanta is ready to start building as soon as the land can be secured. The visit by EXTREME HOME MAKEOVER has set forth a flurry of interest in trying to find the five acres that would be needed for this project. In fact, the AALA group was the first to even learn about this opportunity and have been so very helpful in trying to make this happen for the children of this community. We all keep our fingers crossed and are committed to making this permanent home a reality for the children of Georgia.

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Editor: Debra F. Goldman (dgoldman@gmlj.com) (This publication is the property of the Atlanta Association of Legal Administrators. Reproduction or reprint without prior permission is strictly prohibited. Click here to request reprint permission.)

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