If Lillie Hicks had to be described in just one word, it would be committed. Ms. Hicks is retired; she lives with her grandson and her oldest daughter, Rochelle. Among Lillie's commitments, one of the most important to her is her family, near and far. Lillie is dedicated to taking care of her health and becoming a larger part of her community. Lillie would like to see more of the vacant lots and houses in her neighborhood be used for something positive, and is thrilled to see Windy City Habitat filling those lots with homes, new neighbors, and hope. In addition to filling the open space in her community, Lillie is excited to work with Windy City Habitat and Lowe's on the Block Build repairs program. In retirement, it is difficult for Lillie to accomplish repairs on her home such as a fresh coat of paint on her front porch, a repaired concrete walkway, and most importantly, removing an overgrown tree from her backyard, which has provided a path for squirrels to wreak havoc on her gutters and roof. Lillie is looking forward to seeing these changes made to her home and her block as well as having the opportunity to work with her family and community in this event. She is passionate about serving others, "I want to be the person to make a difference in somebody's life, and I'd like to volunteer my services. Hopefully my story can help somebody else. Windy City Habitat looks forward to a continued partnership with such a devoted and successful woman.

Jackie Woolridge has lived in the West Pullman area for 13 years and has seen her fair share of changes in the community over time. When Jackie first moved to the area, there were no stores close by, forcing her to spend extra time and money getting around just to purchase basic needs. In the past few years, much has changed in the neighborhood, including a shopping center on 119^th Street, conveniently located within walking distance from her home. With these updates, Jackie enjoys the convenience of staying within her community to complete her errands and stay in better touch with friends and neighbors. Jackie also enjoys spending time at the new Kroc Center, a state-of-the-art community center created in partnership with The Salvation Army and Joan and Ray Kroc. Jackie lives with her fiancé, son, and granddaughter. She enjoys her block club, gardening, helping her neighbors, and exercising. Usually on Saturdays you can find Jackie cleaning her house, shopping, or going to the movies. However, Jackie is thrilled to be spending her next Saturday working on the Block Build, giving her the opportunity to reconnect with her neighbors and learn new skills. During the event, Jackie wants to learn how to better take care of her own home. Throughout the Block Build, Jackie will be working closely with her family and volunteers learning how to repair the concrete steps on her front porch, the best way to clean her gutters, and how to best maintain her flower beds in another cold Chicago winter. Jackie is overjoyed about what Habitat is working with her community to accomplish and would like to continue volunteering to advance these efforts in the future.

Paul Dixson has been a resident of the West Pullman Area since 1977 and knows better than anyone that "people stick together in this community. Mr. Dixson initially heard about the Block Build from his neighbors; he jumped on the opportunity to work with others to accomplish repairs around his home as he does't have the time to complete them all on his own. On the day of the event, Paul will be working alongside friends from the neighborhood and volunteers from Lowe's and Habitat to clean out his gutters, put a fresh layer of paint on his back fence, and re-install his mailbox. Paul is glad to see Habitat move beyond new construction and focus on repairs for current homeowners in the neighborhood.

Ida Cohen is an enormously active member of her community and has always been someone others can count on, which is something she relishes. Ida lives with her two god daughters. Ida regularly attends church, her block club, and spends a good amount of time babysitting children in her community. Since Ida has seen many of the children in the neighborhood grow up, she has taken on a motherly role to a majority of them. Ida is privileged to know that many of the residents in her community trust her to care and look after their children; many see her as a positive role model. Ida first heard of the Block Build from her daughter, who actively contacted the Windy City Habitat for Humanity team seeking out home repairs for the elderly. Since Ida is currently limited to a wheelchair, it can be difficult for her to accomplish home repairs on her own. The event will be a major day for Ida and her family; among the repairs planned for the Block Build, Ida's include finally addressing her landscaping needs, a fresh coat of waterproofing material applied to her wheelchair ramp, as well as a new coat of paint and reinforcement on her porch. Ms. Cohen is looking forward to joining her friends and other volunteers to accomplish these tasks; she can't wait to see people come together to help one another.

Steven Wrenn Senior has lived in the West Pullman community for 42 years. He lives with his wife, Vernita, and one of his 4 children, Steven Wrenn Junior. Steven and Vernita have 10 grandchildren, whom they absolutely love spending time with. As a retired operating engineer, Steven appreciates having more time to spend with his family; however, he has found that his efforts to maintain his property still take him away from the quality family time he wants and deserves. Steven sees the Block Build as a door opening opportunity, "I have a second chance to spend time with my family. This event will make sure I'll spend less time on the house and more time with the family. When they are visiting me, I'll have a house that is still in a condition to call home. Tasks such as fixing the front gate, repairing the front porch, and installing new window security bars will all be addressed and completed on the day of the event, providing a great relief to Steven and Vernita. Steven feels fortunate to live in the West Pullman area for as long as he has; he has seen the community grow, has seen families move in and out, and he believes that it is a great neighborhood to invest in. Steven says that his neighborhood is "a comfortable place to live, the block has been friendly; I like living around my neighbors on Lowe and 120^th, I have grown to know people and grown to respect the people around my neighborhood. I am proud to live here.

Bill Nelson, father of 5, lives with his wife, Michelle and his son Dante. Mr. Nelson has been living in the West Pullman area for 23 years and says, "The neighborhood is not as bad as people may say it is. He believes a neighborhood is what you put into it. Mr. Nelson has a basketball hoop in front of his house that he wants children to feel welcome to use, "About 15-16 kids come over just to play basketball. It keeps them out of trouble and allows them to have fun in their own neighborhood. When he gets the chance, Bill volunteers at the food pantry at his church and loves to do work on his antique cars. Mr. Nelson usually spends his time working on total house rehabs. Bill sees a lot of similarities between his work and the work of Habitat for Humanity; he is looking forward to teaming up with his neighbors and teaching them the best ways to rehab a home. As much time as Bill spends fixing other' houses and cars, he hardly has anytime to work on his own. Bill is looking forward to seeing people come together to help him tackle tasks including the power washing and painting of his front porch. Mr. Nelson appreciates the volunteers time and energy being spent on Block Build.

Minnie Porter has been familiar with Habitat for Humanity ever since Jimmy Carter became a supporter, and has always felt strongly about the work we strive to do. She is looking forward to having cement put along the foundation line of her home, since water is starting to seep into her basement, painting the front porch, and re-leveling her front gate. A former job developer at Catholic Charities, Minnie has an affinity towards community building and enjoys being a helpful resource for others. She has 5 children, 12 grandkids, and 13 great grandchildren! Minnie's large family keeps her busy during her retirement, which is just how she likes things. She also enjoys gardening, shopping at second hand stores, fixing up her home, and partaking in her Block club, of which she was one of the original members. The Block Build is going to be a significant event for her, living alone she doesn't always have the time to maintain the house to her liking. Minnie is proud to have lived in her neighborhood for 42 years and is truly appreciative of the volunteers coming to the Block build, because they are doing something that they don't necessarily have to, but are participating on their own accord. She sees this not only as a community building event, but as a trust building one as well.