A handicap ramp, shown during construction at the new home of Bert and Cindy Grace, was part of a concerted volunteer effort that included razing the house on site and replacing it with a mobile home.

JEANERETTE — Nearly six months ago, volunteers from across the Teche Area went to Jeanerette to help the Grace family for what they thought would be a few weeks of necessary home repairs. 

After discovering there was more work involved, the effort gathered even more momentum and, eventually, Bert and Cindy Grace had a brand new home to live in thanks solely to the goodwill of the local community. 

Bert and his mother, Cindy, have lived in the same mobile home for years, but when a water leak was discovered in June the two realized they didn’t have the means to pay for repairs, and quickly took to social media for donations of any kind. 

Several people responded to the plea, including Kristie Daigle Boudreaux, who created a social media page for those in the community who wanted to help the Graces. That plea quickly grew bigger and bigger. 

After inspecting the house, those helping the Graces realized the building needed a lot more than water repairs. 

“Originally, we decided the house was so far gone that trying to repair it really wouldn’t be possible because it was just too much,” Boudreaux said. “After speaking to Bert and Ms. Cindy, they were on board to tear it down and start looking for a used mobile home that we could move on to the property. 

The home was torn down and the Grace family was moved to a local hotel, where the family  stayed for four months thanks to a generous donation fund from local residents. 

While Boudreaux’s team was looking for a new home, a former Jeanerette resident who asked to remain anonymous donated a mobile home to the volunteers. 

Boudreaux said the mobile home was in fairly good shape, with only a few cosmetic changes needed. Every week seemed to present new challenges in repairs. 

One of the bathrooms was converted to be handicap accessible, and Roger Duncan donated a dirt pad for the property. Duncan’s daughter and her husband also moved the new mobile home at no charge.

“Another anonymous Jeanerette resident took the task for me to build the handicap ramp and a concrete slab for them to park on,” Boudreaux said. “That again was 100 percent donated.”

After several months of waiting, the Grace family moved into their new home this past weekend, with volunteers tidying up the new home up to the minute that Bert and Cindy arrived. 

Bert Grace said Wednesday he and his mother were loving the new home, and thankful for everyone that helped with the massive change. 

“Mom and I are so thankful and grateful to Kristi Daigle Boudreaux and her husband and her family, as well as anyone else who helped in any way,” Grace said. “We appreciate everything.”

Boudreaux said the experience was an emotional one for all around, and she considers both Bert and Cindy part of her own family. 

“I’ve learned some lessons from it, mostly that I happened on this by chance just because of a Facebook post and I know there’s plenty more people in their situation and more than likely worse,” Boudreaux said. “If there’s one thing I can tell everybody, check on your neighbors.”