Zoe Swanagan let out a deep sigh of relief and held back happy tears as she carried her 3-year-old son into their apartment late Friday morning. Until 2 days ago, they had been sleeping on the floor because they had no furniture. The apartment is now fully furnished thanks to the Alma Randolph Charitable Foundation and other community partners who consistently lend a helping hand to local families working to better their situation.
Swanagan’s look of amazement and joy never faltered as she walked into each newly furnished room, from the living room and kitchen to the bedrooms and bathroom upstairs.
“I’m on top of the world. It’s unexplainable right now,” she said following the full reveal.
Swanagan, who turns 24 next month, lives in the home with her son Oliver, who has autism. Swanagan and Oliver’s father were living together in Oklahoma but recently ended their relationship.
“We decided to part ways and I moved back up here with my family to get a fresh start since I know a lot of people,” she said.
Swanagan landed a job at the H.L. Neblett Community Center as a daycare teacher, and she’s able to take Oliver to work. Though he’s in the room with 3-year-olds and she helps take care of infants, Swanagan said by both being at the Neblett she’s able to easily track her son and the staff allows her to be there for him if necessary.
Swanagan said she’s been back in Owensboro for about 3 months. While they are living in their own apartment, she had no furniture until Friday.
“It’s been me and him just cuddling on the floor with a pillow and two blankets, just surviving day to day,” she said.
That’s why the Foundation was contacted by a staff member at the Neblett Center.
“So often, when we have families referred to us, they may have some furniture that is in really bad shape. (The Swanagans) were just on the floor, so we tried to expedite things to get her processed so that we could help them ASAP,” founder Alma Randolph Crump said.
The Foundation’s Hands Up To Succeed (HUTS) program was established in 2016 to enhance the living conditions of deserving, disadvantaged families. Randolph Crump stresses that it’s truly a “hand up” not a “handout” because there is a selection process and the families must show they are working to better their situation.
Randolph Crump said Swanagan showed that desire to better her own situation with her work ethic.
“This young lady does not have an automobile. She walks to the bus stop to take her child with her to work,” Randolph Crump said. “When I spoke with her and explained that she would be at the hotel for a couple of days (while we furnish the apartment), she said ‘Mrs. Alma, I would like to still work.’ So every day that she was there, she worked. She’s going back to work after this reveal. So she has a tremendously strong work ethic, and it just touches my heart to know that she is just an awesome mom and doing everything she can to make it.”
She said circumstances like Swanagan’s are the reason HUTS exists.
“She’s doing everything she can to make ends meet and to have a good fresh start with her son,” Randolph Crump said. “She just needed a hand up. I’m thankful that we were able to be there for her.”
Swanagan left home Wednesday morning, when Limos by Knight took her and Oliver to the Holiday Inn Riverfront for a 2-night stay. PeezO’s Pizza provided a meal for the family on Thursday evening, and Limos by Knight brought them home for the reveal on Friday morning.
The Swanagans walked through the front door to see a new living room set including a TV, then continued on to a new dining room set and other decor in the kitchen. Oliver’s room had a new bed and bedding provided by First Baptist Church, and Swangan’s room also included a new bed set with a dresser. American Freight was also a partner in the Foundation providing the new furnishings.
“It means the world because I’ve normally had to do things for myself by myself,” Swanagan said. “To have the help is just overwhelming to me.”
Swanagan said everything she does is for Oliver, and she’s grateful for his improved living conditions.
“I can’t let this one down. I’m used to him being all up on me cuddling with me. For him to have his own little safe space to play and do what he wants to do … I can’t wait to see how he enjoys it because he deserves it and I know he’s gonna love it,” she said. “I probably wouldn’t be as headstrong if it wasn’t for him.”
She also plans to pass on the blessings she’s received.
“Like Mrs. Alma says, we’ve got to sit there and bless each other,” Swanagan said. “So from now on, I’m going to be blessing others as much as I can do, because that’s all we can do, especially in today’s day and age.”
