Project Housewarming helps families rebuild after homelessness

A Family Story

Operation Breakthrough parent Remesha Williams knows the challenge of starting over. She and her five children — two boys and three girls, ages 3 through 17 — lost their home and spent several months in a Kansas City family shelter in 2022. The six of them were confined to one small space. Then, what seemed like a positive step forward turned into a nightmare.

Remesha secured a spacious four-bedroom unit in the Stonegate Meadows apartment complex, just east of the Truman Sports Complex in Kansas City. However, the apartments were in poor condition, plagued by bug and rodent infestations, leaks, mold, collapsed ceilings, and unreliable air conditioning and hot water, plus a revolving door of property managers who did little to address the problems. It was so bad that residents sued the landlord over the “unsafe, unsanitary, and uninhabitable conditions.” The story was front-page news in The Kansas City Star in April 2023 and also featured on other local news outlets, including KMBC Channel 9 and KCUR radio.

Remesha’s family faced bug and rodent problems and a serious foundation leak. Then in late 2023, their apartment’s front window fell out. Rather than replace the window, the apartment complex boarded it up, leaving the apartment dark and dank. Remesha stopped paying rent due to the unacceptable conditions; her family received an eviction notice and was evicted two days before Christmas 2023. Due to the ongoing water damage and pest infestations, they were not able to salvage much of their belongings; clothing, furniture, and appliances all had to be tossed out.

The social work team at Operation Breakthrough stepped in to help, and Remesha was able to secure a new and clean, if somewhat smaller, apartment that allowed her children to continue at their current schools. Once again, the family was starting over with close to nothing. But this time, Project Housewarming was available to help.

Project Housewarming is a new program launched at Operation Breakthrough in 2023 by three volunteers ― Ann Egan, Paula Higbee, and Trent Jones. It is designed to help families that find themselves without a place to live ― the result of financial difficulty, domestic violence, a house fire or flood, or a pest infestation ― get back on their feet. The program provides an array of home essentials, such as pots and pans, dishes, silverware, towels, shower curtains, vacuums, brooms, mops, trash cans, and more. It helps families be functional in their new house or apartment right away ― able to cook a meal, take a bath, and clean their home.

All household items for Project Housewarming are purchased new through a registry set up online at Target and stored at Operation Breakthrough. When a family in need is identified, the social work team pulls together a set of items for them ― eliminating concerns about how to acquire, pay for and transport what the family needs to set up their new home. So far, 15 families with a total of 53 children have been helped by Project Housewarming.

This time, Remesha says, “[Starting over] was a lot easier. This was a big help ― a relief. I didn’t have to do it on my own.” Without Project Housewarming, she acknowledges, “It would have been a struggle. I would have had to do it bit by bit.” Instead, her family is settled in their new home, where she says her kids are more comfortable and at ease.

Remesha hopes she can pay forward the gift she has received. “Maybe I’ll be able to do it someday, to donate something,” she says. “It’s always a blessing to give back.”

“At Operation Breakthrough, we witness the complex challenges our families face daily ― from the trauma of homelessness to the stress of unstable living conditions,” says Jessica Kibby, Director of Social Services. “Project Housewarming addresses a critical care gap by providing essential items and the support needed to create a true home.”

“This initiative is about much more than material support,” she adds. “It’s about restoring dignity, nurturing hope, and empowering families to heal, rebuild, and thrive in a stable environment where they feel secure and supported.”

How You Can Help

Operation Breakthrough friends can support Project Housewarming by visiting and purchasing items from the Target registry. Items are shipped directly to Operation Breakthrough (it is the default shipping address for the registry when you get to checkout). The cost ranges from just a few dollars for can openers, towels, and trash cans to $50 for pots and pans and $65 for vacuums. Most items are in the range of $5 to $15. You also can purchase a Target gift card for Project Housewarming so we can buy whatever is needed most at the time or certain items that must be purchased in a store rather than online.

CLICK HERE to visit the Target Registry

To learn more about Project Housewarming on our website - CLICK HERE