A tale of two homes: The Alvarez and Gaston families

By Aldrich M. Tan, aldrich.tan@indiosun.com

October 10, 2008

A single mom raising three kids and barely making ends meet has little time to remove the fire-damaged furniture from her yard.

An elderly woman whose home was vandalized is too embarrassed to let her family visit her.

Their homes, and their lives, will change later this month because they won a home makeover contest for Make-A-Difference Day.

Desert Springs JW Marriott Resort and Spa in Palm Desert partnered with Indio to change the living conditions of two Indio families.

There were 25 entries, said Jeremy Frey, city housing rehabilitation specialist.

The selection committee looked at the conditions of the homes, the background of the families and the longevity of their lives in Indio.

The makeovers will take place Oct. 24-26, said Ken Schwartz, the resort's general manager. Schwartz spearheaded the project as part of the hotel chain's efforts to serve the community.

Volunteers from Marriott properties throughout the Coachella Valley will participate in the makeovers, which could include landscaping, plumbing and electrical work and new appliances, flooring and furniture.

The winning families will stay in Marriott hotels while the work is being done, Schwartz said.

City officials and Marriott engineers visited the homes starting Sept. 29.

“It was an eye-opening experience to see the condition of some of the homes,” Frey said. “It's humbling to say the least.”
The Alvarez family

Arlene Alvarez, 40, holds tightly onto the letter that says her home, in the 43-300 block of Toltec Court, will receive a makeover in two weeks.

“It still feels like it is a dream,” she said. “We want to keep the letter to remind us that this is true.”

Alvarez is a single mother living with her children, Delilah, 13, Selene, 9, who has Down syndrome, and Junior, 17. Her mother, Dahlia, 62, and their three dogs also live at the home. Alvarez's oldest daughter, Marcey, 18, has moved out.

It has been very challenging for Alvarez, a medical assistant for a kidney doctor in Indio, to maintain the house and raise her children.

Years of weather-related damage and three fires have taken a toll. The family has lost air conditioning, kitchen cabinets and much of their furniture. The fence that separates the yard is battered, and the posts keep falling apart due to the harsh desert wind.

The washing machine outside has no pipes connected to it, so Alvarez has to manually add water.

Alvarez's parents bought the home 30 years ago. After her father left the family, Alvarez's mother worked two jobs to support her family.

Alvarez's older brother used to do all the housekeeping, but he died at age 16. Her younger brother and sister eventually moved out. Alvarez moved out for a short time but returned to help take care of her mother.

Money has been tight, so there has been very little left to improve the house, Alvarez said.

Alvarez said she found out about the contest from a family support meeting in the county. She found out she won on Sept. 29 while at work.

Alvarez said her life is tough, but she gets strength now knowing that her family's situation is about to change.
The Gaston family

Kelly Lynch recalled when her aunt Theresa Gaston's home, in the 81-600 block of Lido Avenue, was the hub for family holidays.

Lynch, 35, of Duarte remembered hunting for Easter eggs under the tall trees of Gaston's backyard. The sweet aromas of cinnamon and chocolate from Gaston's baking filled the rooms.

That was more than 25 years ago. Now, the house smells musty from leaky plumbing. The dishwasher and oven don't work. Pink marks remain on the walls where vandals spray-painted Satanic symbols.

Gaston, 64, now rarely lets her relatives come over.

Lynch wanted to find a way to help her aunt. She found out about the contest from The Indio Sun.

“She thinks there are so many more people who have it worse off than her,” Lynch said, “but she is at a point in her life where many sad things have happened to her, too.”

Born in New Jersey, Gaston moved to Indio in 1958. She was part of Indio High School's first graduating classes in 1962.

Gaston said her home was “the prettiest house on the street” when she and husband Darrell bought it in 1973.

Family tragedy gave Gaston more things to worry about than the maintenance of her home. She raised her niece, Christy, after her sister, Diana Allard, died 10 years ago. Gaston's father died in 1993, and her mom died in 1998. Then her husband died two years ago.

Gaston said six years ago, vandals broke into the home and painted Satanic symbols in the living room.

Gaston found out that her home won the makeover contest when Marriott and city officials visited her home.