Layla Esmaili, a dedicated single mother of three children, thought she was closing on her new home made possible by Habitat for Humanity of NW Metro Atlanta and the Cobb Catholic Habitat Coalition in Austell. Yesterday, when she and her three children arrived at their recently finished Austell home, Layla was met by former Falcon and NFL star Warrick Dunn. Dunn, Habitat leaders and sponsors shocked the family with a $5,000 down-payment assistance check from Warrick Dunn Charities and $10,000 worth of beautiful furnishings from Aaron’s, Inc.
The 189th home celebration nationwide by Warrick Dunn Charities, the former NFL star’s non-profit organization, identifies single parents across the country and helps them achieve their goal of first-time homeownership as part of its “Homes for the Holidays” program. In addition to Aaron’s, all of the finishing touches, a fully stocked refrigerator and pantry was made possible thanks to support from Ryan Jumonville.
Layla works as a caregiver at Comfort Community Center in Marietta and takes tremendous pride in helping others. Her desire to become a homeowner is largely driven by giving a better life to her children, ranging in age from five- to 16-years old. They currently sleep on mattresses on the floor of a run-down apartment in a community riddled with crime, preventing the kids from playing outside and living their lives to the fullest.
Layla is confident their new home will remove those shackles and allow her family to thrive like never before. Future homeowner Ms. Esmaili says moving into this home will “bring hope and happiness and new beginnings to our life.”
This home carries unique milestones. It is the first 2-story designed home for the Habitat affiliate based in Smyrna and the Cobb County Catholic Habitat Coalition’s 45thhome in 29 years. The home is also a first for Habitat homes in Cobb, debuting the first-ever two-story design from the affiliate.
The new home design and architectural plans were donated to Habitat by Marietta-basedCaldwell-Cline Architects and Designers and Bercher Homes. The home designs came out of a community project by the Cobb Chamber of Commerce Leadership Cobb Class of 2018.
The Cobb Catholic Habitat Coalition consists of a collective of area churches partnering together to help their communities. The 2020-2021 Coalition partners include: Holy Family Catholic Church, Catholic Church of St. Ann, Saint Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church, St. Joseph Catholic Church and The Catholic Church of the Transfiguration.
Mike Christian, long-time Coalition Chair said, “Our coalition has come together for 28 years to give families in our community a better future through a permanent home. We are thrilled to have the honor of building the first ever two-story design for this special family.”