Vera Love and two other Bryan mothers celebrated Mother’s Day for the first time in their own homes.  “That’s the biggest Mother’s Day present I could ask for,” Vera said.

Habitat for Humanity dedicated three houses Saturday, May 11, new homes for Vera, Latoya Pleasant and Marjorie Gibbs.  For all three mothers, this is the first time their families have a home of their own. 

Vera Love, an employee for Magnified Nursing, has three adult children and four grandchildren.  She is overjoyed to have her own home where her grandchildren can visit and play.  They were there for Mother’s Day, and will be back again and again.  The Texas A&M student chapter of Habitat for Humanity, Aggie Habitat, provided the financial sponsorship for Vera’s home.  They also spent many Saturdays alongside Vera, helping her build the house.

Latoya Pleasant, who works as a customer service representative for United Recovery Systems, and her four children have never had a place of their own, unsure of where they were going to live from month to month.  Lately she had been renting a house ith a roommate, but with her children, Janiaya (12), Princess (9), Devonia (7), and John Smith (3), it was way too crowded.

Denise Bermudez, the financial sponsor for Latoya’s new home and a mother herself, understands the challenges Latoya faced and praised her for overcoming those difficulties.  “Although living in less-than-adequate housing, in a situation that was dangerous for her children, Latoya did everything she could to create a secure, loving environment for her children.  But she did not settle.  She fought and she sacrificed to find a way to give her children a safe home.”  Those sacrifices finally paid off Mother’s Day weekend when the Pleasant family moved into their own four-bedroom home.

Latoya’s new next door neighbor also moved in last weekend.  Marjorie Gibbs, an employee at Taco Cabana, is excited about her new house and is especially thrilled for her four children, Nariah Parnell (9), Tason (8), Tayshaun (6), and Ta’Lon (5).  “I love seeing the smiles on my children’s faces when we pull into our driveway,” she said.  “Having their own yard is a dream come true!  This is our home!”  Marjourie’s new house was made possible by the generosity of   The Dansby Foundation, Gilbert and Thyra Plass Charitable Trust and Lucille and John B. Dougherty Charitable Trust.  Wells Fargo Trusts was also important as a partner of the Plass and Dougherty Trusts.

If you drove through Angel’s Gate subdivision in Bryan last Sunday, you may have noticed the smell of a barbecue.  It was coming from Vera Love’s new house.  Her children and grandchildren were all there, enjoying Vera’s first Mother’s Day celebration.