Swanagan surprised with home furnishing courtesy of the H.U.T.S. Project

Zoe Swanagan, 23, recently moved into a home of her own in Churchill Park in Owensboro with her 3-year-old son, Oliver.

Swanagan returned to Owensboro from Oklahoma after splitting up with Oliver’s father.

“We were living together and things didn’t work out, so I came back to Owensboro to be closer to my family for their support,” Swanagan said.

She was able to get a job as an infant care provider at the H. L. Neblett Community Center.

“Working at the Neblett Center has been great because I can bring Oliver with me, so I know he’s in good hands while I’m working,” she said. “Oliver has autism and the center has helped me get him into different therapies, and, because of his diagnosis, I enjoy being close by in case he needs me.”

While Swanagan described having a place that she could call home for just herself and Oliver as a “blessing,” she hadn’t been able to furnish the apartment yet as other priorities, such as caring for Oliver and making it to work, overwhelmed her day-to-day life.

“We were sleeping together on the floor, just a couple of pillows and blankets,” she said.

That’s where the Alma Randolph Charitable Foundation stepped in to help.

After being nominated by an employee at the Neblett Center, the foundation’s Hands Up to Succeed (H.U.T.S.) Project, involving Randolph and the organization’s board of directors, along with sponsorships from local businesses, were able to fully furnish Swanagan’s home, and surprise her and Oliver on Friday morning.

“The H.U.T.S. program is designed to give disadvantaged families a hand up, not a handout,” Randolph explained. “We look to help families who are trying to get ahead, but might just need a little boost to have one less thing off their plate.”

Swanagan entered her home holding Oliver in her arms to a home full of brand new furnishings and decor.

“This is amazing!” she said through tears of joy. “I’m just so blessed to be given this opportunity.”

Partnering with the foundation, Limos by Knight picked up the family on Wednesday and took them to the Holiday Inn Downtown Riverfront, another one of the businesses that help serve the foundation, where they would stay while volunteers took the opportunity to make over the space before the Friday surprise reveal.

“Usually our families take the opportunity to enjoy the hotel stay as like a mini vacation, but Zoe was different,” Randolph said. “She told us, ‘Mrs. Alma, I still want to be able to go to work.’ That’s just a testament to her strong work ethic.”

First Baptist Church provided Oliver with his new bed and bedding, along with a children’s Bible.

“The church helps with every new H.U.T.S project,” Randolph said.

Randolph also speaks highly of American Freight’s involvement with the H.U.T.S. program.

“Their generosity in providing new furniture for the families doesn’t go unnoticed,” she said.

“I’m trying not to cry again,” Swanagan said as she took in all of the furnishings and decor in her bedroom. “I love that Oliver and I can now have our own spaces though I’m definitely going to miss us being cuddled and snuggled up together.”

The H.U.T.S. program has provided a “hand-up” to 87 families in the community and the number continues to grow steadily.

“I think we try to help 10 to 12 families a year,” Randolph said. “But we couldn’t do it without the generous support of the community and local businesses that make this happen.”

In addition to the furnishings and decor, Swanagan also received a $100 gift card to Burlington so that she could shop for clothing and toys for Oliver.

The Alma Randolph Charitable Foundation has a Facebook page of the same name with a link for those in the community interested in donating monetarily to support the H.U.T.S. program.

“Unfortunately, we’re unable to accept second-hand cloth furniture items, like mattresses or couches, just for hygiene reasons, but if you have other furniture or decor items that are gently used, you can always reach out to see if we can use it,” Randolph said. “Support from the community is valued because we want to reach out and help as many families as we can.”