In the neighborhood of Mount Holly, New Jersey, amidst leafy streets and usually friendly faces, resides Antonia Santos, a spirited retiree with a knack for do-it-yourself projects. Her story intertwines perseverance, a few helping hands, and a work ethic that can’t be disrupted.

Originally from the Dominican Republic, Ms. Santos has traversed the globe, calling places like Florida and Costa Rica home before settling in New Jersey for a second time.

"I love the house, love the area, and this is where I plan to stay," she laughs, noting it’s a good thing she’s happy here because the mortgage isn’t going anywhere.

Ms. Santos, a retired dentist, is no stranger to fixing things. If she’s only used to fixing teeth, you wouldn’t know it.

"If a door needs to be replaced, I'll do it myself,” she laughs almost matter-of-factly.

But some challenges need a few sets of hands, all of which were needed when significant water damage threatened her roof, gutters, and several areas inside her beloved home. When it rains, it pours, as the daunting task worsened after her insurance company said they’d be unable to continue home coverage unless the damage was remedied.

Perhaps a little stressed, but ultimately undeterred, she did what she had to do – find a fix.

"It wasn't easy worrying about the insurance," she recalls. "I spent a lot of time looking at options, navigating through forms and paperwork until I finally found a lifeline."

She first began working with Habitat for Humanity’s Neighborhood Revitalization Program to restore the roof and gutters. With those efforts maxed out, the next lifeline came in the form of a word-of-mouth recommendation about the USDA Rural Development Single Family Housing Home Repair Program.

With hope rekindled, Ms. Santos reached out to the USDA, whose timely intervention proved to be the final missing piece. With their help, repairs totaling roughly $10,000 were made to the walls and ceilings in multiple rooms, including the bathrooms, bedrooms, office, closets and exterior areas where the water damage had occurred. The program also repaired the exterior of the home —including a fresh coat of paint— ensuring water worries were a thing of the past.

"They worked on a short timeline, completing the project within days of the deadline to renew insurance," she explained gratefully. “Everyone I worked with was great, very kind and dedicated.”

Throughout her journey, Ms. Santos found solace in her faith and her favorite hobby—reading the Bible.

"I thank God I was able to secure these repairs," she reflects. "It was such a relief when everything was finally completed."

As she exhales in the comfort of an insured home, Ms. Santos radiates contentment. Her journey to restoration is more than one of just repairs -- it's one where bureaucratic hurdles were overcome with patience, generosity and teamwork.

USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs, and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety, healthcare and high-speed internet access in rural, high-poverty areas. For more information, visit the New Jersey state website.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.