Safeway and Cargill Give Extremely Tender Gift to ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 26, 2007
Contact: Greg Standifer 316-352-5147
WILMINGTON, Del. – Safeway and Cargill Meat Solutions joined with the ABC reality show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to help make two Delaware families’ homes extremely special. Safeway and Cargill donated a stainless-steel backyard grill for the duplex home accompanied by a $1,000 gift card for “guaranteed tender” Rancher’s Reserve steaks.
“The centerpiece to the backyard is a brand-new barbecue grill for the families to enjoy for years to come,” said Steve Neibergall, Safeway Inc. Eastern Division President. “We heard the oldest son of one family would make good use of the grill and the steaks we’ve provided for the families. We welcome the chance to help these remarkable families with the grill and steaks.”
On Tues., Feb. 5, ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition knocked on two front doors and informed the Latif and Chatman families that in one week they would have new homes. The families’ duplex was demolished and rebuilt.
In addition to the backyard grill and Rancher’s Reserve gift card, Safeway and Cargill served 300 volunteers with a Rancher’s Reserve New York strip steak dinner, complete with sides and refreshments.
“The steak dinner kept the volunteers nourished and motivated as they worked around the clock building the new homes,” explained Brent McDougall, official Rancher’s Reserve grill volunteer and part of Cargill’s Eastern sales team. “The look on the volunteers’ faces was priceless when they saw the special steak dinner we prepared just for them.”
After a weeklong vacation at Disney World, the Latif and Chatman families saw their new homes for the first time on Tues., Feb. 12. The Wilmington, Del., Extreme Makeover: Home Edition show is scheduled to air spring 2008.
About the family:
Ju-Juanna Latif’s story is one of inspiration and 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 Ju-Juanna tried to get her life on track, things took a turn for the worst, when Ju-Juanna and her young son Antonio were forced to move into a homeless shelter. She didn’t give up and wanted a life better 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 where she toted her son on 8 busses a day. Eventually, she entered a work-study program so she could feed her son and 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 many people to improve their lives. She’s been recognized by the community and has given motivational speeches.
Now Ju-Juanna is a proud working mom raising 4 children 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 needy individuals. 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 is not accessible for her wheelchair bound 9-year old son James.