A Woman Formerly Homeless Tonight on Extreme Makeover Home Edition

A Woman Formerly Homeless Tonight on Extreme Makeover Home Edition 3/30/08

MARCH 30

"EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION" HELPS A SINGLE MOTHER WHO ONCE LIVED IN A HOMELESS SHELTER AND OVERCAME TREMENDOUS OBSTACLES TO BECOME AN OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY SERVICE LEADER Designers Will Makeover Not One But Two Homes When Next Door Neighbor Receives a New Home

"Latif Family" -- The Latif family of Wilmington, Delaware received the exciting news that Ty and the gang will build them and their next door neighbor, Rose Chatman, new homes in just seven days, on "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," SUNDAY, MARCH 30 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

Ju-Juanna Latif's story is one of inspiration and an example of how one can overcome life's obstacles and persevere to achieve a dream. Ju-Juanna struggled through a dysfunctional home life, dropped out of high school and became a single teen mother. As she tried to get her life on track, things took a turn for the worse when she and her young son, Antonio, were forced to move into a homeless shelter. She didn't give up wanting a better life for her family, so in the shelter Ju-Juanna obtained life skills, took parenting classes and received job training. After getting her GED, she went to college, toting her son on eight busses a day. Eventually she entered a work-study program, landed a job, had three more kids and was able to afford a home. She became involved with her church's mentoring program and worked as a social service worker for many years, where she had the opportunity to share her experience and inspire others to improve their lives. Ju-Juanna has been recognized by the community and now gives motivational speeches.

Today Ju-Juanna is a proud working mom raising four children and living in a home of her own, right next to their "adopted grandmother," Rose Chatman. A seamstress, Ms. Rose donates her time by making flower arrangements for different church programs, giving rides to church for members and making clothes for the needy. The Latif children are following in their mother's footsteps with their involvement with the church, acting as youth leaders and 4H members. Now 19 years old, Antonio is on a committee to give input on the building of a youth center for kids at church and in the community. He also travels to different churches in the city and performs his rap music of positive lyrics and empowerment at youth events. But their home is falling apart at the seams, and it's not accessible for wheelchair-bound nine-year-old son James.

In this episode of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," Ty and the gang head to Wilmington to build a safer and better home for this giving family and their neighbor so they can all continue to thrive and be all that they can be.

While Ty and the designers, local builder Anderson Homes and hundreds of volunteers and workers are rebuilding their home, the Brown family will go on vacation to Walt Disney World.

The design team for this episode of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" will feature team leader Ty Pennington and designers Paul DiMeo, Tracy Hutson, Paige Hemmis and Eduardo Xol. The series is produced by Endemol USA, a division of Endemol Holding. It's executive-produced by Denise Cramsey. David Goldberg is the president of Endemol USA. "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" is broadcast with Spanish subtitles via secondary closed captioning. This program carries a TV-PG parental guideline.

This episode of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" will be available on ABC.com the day after airing on the network for users to watch online.

Source: ABC Press Release