Warner's Surprise Single Mom

Jim O

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Warners Surprise Single Mom

Warners Surprise Single Mom

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As a belated Mother’s Day surprise, Kurt and Brenda Warner, through their First Things First Foundation and in partnership with Aaron’s Rents and Habitat for Humanity of the West Valley, today rewarded the hard work and determination of a single mother of three children in El Mirage with a big surprise at her new Habitat house with the donation of all the furnishings to transform her house into a home. Although the Mother’s Day gift was late, the surprise was well worth the wait!

Through the “Homes for the Holidays” program, the First Things First Foundation rewards unsuspecting candidates who achieve the dream of homeownership by working with corporate partners to fill the houses with everything a first-time homeowner would need. Aaron Rents, Inc. graciously provided generous donations of furniture, appliances and electronics to assist with the outfitting of the home and First Things First covered the rest including linens, cleaning supplies, kitchen appliances and dishes, lawn and garden equipment, a fully-stocked kitchen, and home décor items. The Homes for the Holidays program was initiated in 1997 by NFL running back Warrick Dunn, now with the Atlanta Falcons.

The First Things First Foundation teams with local community organizations dedicated to affordable homeownership such as Habitat for Humanity of the West Valley to find eligible candidates who are working hard to better their lives and those of their children by taking the necessary steps to buy a new home. Nomination forms are completed by affordable housing representatives and reviewed and selected by Kurt and Brenda Warner. Including the family blessed today, First Things First has surprised eleven families with “Homes for the Holidays” in St. Louis, Iowa, New Jersey and most recently Arizona.

“Like Rosa, I was a single mother of two struggling to make ends meet,” Brenda Warner explained. “Kurt and I know how special it is to finally realize homeownership – something that seems like an impossible dream.”

“Becoming a home owner is such an amazing accomplishment and we are thrilled to join Aaron’s Rents in rewarding Rosa’s hard work,” Kurt Warner added. “We feel fortunate to share the blessings the Lord has given us.”

Rosa and her three children, Robert (7), Daisy (6) and Dominic (3), have been living in an apartment provided by the Homeward Bound program for single mothers. A five-year customer service representative with Lara Associates, Rosa has worked hard to fulfill and surpass the necessary requirements of the Habitat program including homeownership and finance classes and 544 hours of sweat equity working on her home, exceeding the 400 required hours.

“On behalf of Habitat for Humanity of the West Valley, we are very excited to partner with the First Things First Foundation,” said Carroll Klein of Habitat for Humanity. “Their support is a huge boost to our efforts to provide more affordable homeownership opportunities for people in the West Valley area and also is an unbelievable blessing to Rosa’s family that so many of us take for granted.”

About Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, nondenominational Christian housing organization whose mission is to build simple, decent, affordable houses in partnership with those who lack adequate shelter. Recipients are required to contribute 400 hours of work in the actual home construction in addition to making a monthly mortgage payment for the material cost of the house at no interest for 30 years.

About Aaron’s Rents, Inc.
Aaron's Community Outreach Program (ACORP) was established in 1999 as a way to show appreciation to the communities that have supported Aaron's Rents over the last 50 years. To date Aaron’s has partnered with Habitat for Humanity International, The Make-A-Wish Foundation, The Autism Society and is a proud national supporter the Homes for the Holidays program involving NFL players like Kurt Warner, founder Warrick Dunn, Shelton Quarrels and others.

About The Kurt Warner First Things First Foundation
Established in 2001, the Kurt Warner First Things First Foundation is a Missouri registered 501(c)3 public charity serving as a vehicle for Kurt Warner and his wife Brenda to reach out to the community and share their blessings with those in need. The First Things First Foundation is dedicated to impacting lives by promoting Christian values, sharing experiences and providing opportunities to encourage everyone that all things are possible when people to seek to put “first things first.” Additional information is available at www.kurtwarner.org

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Ryanwb

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Brenda looks good with long hair

Way to go Brenda
 
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Ryanwb said:
Brenda looks good with long hair

Way to go Brenda
That's the first picture of Brenda Warner that I have seen since her dyke haircut St. Louis days. Lookin' way, way better Brenda! :thumbup:

And Habitat for Humanity, First Things First, Aaron's and Homes For the Holidays all get a :raccoon:
 

Bobcat

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Truly one of the Good Guy's in the NFL. This really speaks volumns for the Warner family, and the Cardinals. Way to go Kurt and Family.

Bobcat
 

D-Dogg

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THAT is the new and improved Brenda Warner???????

GREAT job Brenda. Now give those 101 Dalmations to good homes and I won't make fun of you any longer. :)
 

bratwurst

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I'm definitely a Warner fan. This is definitely their modus operandi, they even travelled all the way to Asia after the tsunami to try and do something to help.
 

az jam

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Warner is a first class act, involved and giving to the community. The NFL needs more like him.:thumbup:
 

BigRedRage

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How in the hell does she looks so good with so many recent kids and even recent ones? i would knock her up 10 times too


oh and by the way now that im using my upper brain when reading the article, how awesome is that? kurt is the man.
 
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blindseyed

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Very classy and shows the true character if Kurt and his family. He doesn't just say he's a Christian, he lives it. Good job Kurt! :raccoon:
 

Stronso

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Great job Kurt, Brenda and everyone who works to make dreams like this come true for these families!
 

BACH

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CardLogic said:
That's the first picture of Brenda Warner that I have seen since her dyke haircut St. Louis days. Lookin' way, way better Brenda! :thumbup:
Funny... That was the first thing I noticed, too.
 

nurnay

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az jam said:
Warner is a first class act, involved and giving to the community. The NFL needs more like him.:thumbup:

:thumbup:

And I have to say, Brenda looks like a completely different person with long hair. Not bad...
 

Cards Czar

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Yesterday they were in my home town.


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The Telegraph

ALTON -- Almost nine months to the day since Habitat For Humanity volunteers broke ground on her house, Amber Waggoner arrived for the dedication Saturday morning, thinking she would escort visitors through a house still to be furnished.

But one of her visitors had a game plan of his own.

Football star Kurt Warner gave Waggoner a championship feeling when she opened the door to a fully furnished, three-bedroom house.

"I thought I was going to pass out, and I was so overwhelmed," a beaming Waggoner said. "The living room -- it’s just beautiful. Just seeing my house -- it looks like a home. It’s just amazing."

Warner, the former St. Louis Rams quarterback now playing for the Arizona Cardinals, and his wife, Brenda, surprised Waggoner around 11 a.m. with a visit to her new house in the 1900 block of Moreland Avenue.

Before the front door opened to the family, Brenda Warner shared with the assembled crowd her own struggles as a single mother and assured Waggoner the home would bring hope to her life.

Waggoner said she "didn’t have a clue" what was being referred to.

"I had all these people asking me questions, and I couldn’t even think. I was in awe. That had to be the neatest thing that’s ever happened to me."

Waggoner and her three children, Mariah Rodriguez, 12, Ricky Rodriguez, 11, and Sophia Rodriguez, 8, were astounded when the doors were opened.

"We just want you to know, we’ve been there," Brenda Warner said. "We’ve walked in your shoes. I was a single mom with two children when I met Kurt, and I was in low-income housing. You can have hope. This is a new beginning for you and your family."

Warner’s First Things First foundation, a Christian-based charity that helps low-income families, has surprised 12 single mothers and their families with supplies for their homes. Warner’s foundation has expanded its program to his home state of Iowa, Arizona, Illinois, Missouri and New Jersey. First Things First financed the house’s furnishings.

The goods were moved in during the last four days -- since the last time that Waggoner had been to the house.

Waggoner, who works at a grocery store, said she plans to move in soon, but no date has been set. The house is fully furnished, partially donated by Aaron Rents Inc. The landscaping and labor on the sloping front yard was donated by Hindley Nursery Greenhouse and Landscaping in Godfrey.

As part of Habitat For Humanity’s philosophy, future owners are required to put in 400 hours of "sweat equity" in building the house in addition to paying off a long-term, low-interest loan.

Waggoner, who had slept on her parents couch in Godfrey while her three children stayed in another room, said helping build the house gave her a sense of ownership and some unexpected skills.

"I got to use tools I had never heard of before," she joked.

"The first night I came up here, we worked on the foundation, and I got to use a giant saw," Waggoner said. "It was kind of invigorating. I felt the power."

As for meeting the football star, Waggoner, a Rams fan "even from when they were in L.A.," said she heard he could possibly show up Saturday but wasn’t holding out too much hope. When she met Warner and his wife, she was speechless.

"What could I say?" she recalled. "I was like, ‘Oh my God, not only am I getting my house dedicated today, but I get to meet Kurt Warner!’"

The Rams released Warner in June 2004 for salary cap reasons, but he is still fond of his St. Louis connection and wants to give back. Warner achieved football stardom while playing for the Rams, leading them to a Super Bowl victory in 2000 and earning MVP awards in 1999 and 2001.

"We’re all about just trying to make an impact," Kurt Warner said. "God’s blessed us with a great opportunity to open some doors here in St. Louis and the Illinois area, and we’re not willing to give that up. It doesn’t matter where we live, this is still part of us. The community gave so much to us that we’re going to continue to give back as long as we can."

Inside the two-story house, the refrigerator and pantry were was stocked. Resting on the carpeted floors was new furniture and new beds. Amber’s mother, Melissa Waggoner, said the entire family helped out on the house’s construction at one time or another.

"They worked their butts off for it," she said. "It’s just unbelievable. She’s had a hard life, and she’s just been totally blessed."

Christmas this year will be at Amber’s house, her mother said.

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