JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A single mother and her six children are living in a brand new, fully furnished home thanks to a couple of charities.
It was a huge surprise for Ebony Fleming and her children that was planned by what's being called Homes for the Holidays. This home is in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
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"Thank God for this," said Fleming, a first-time homeowner. "It's been a long way coming. It's been a long way, and I really appreciate it. It was like a stepping stone for other things to happen in my life. Now my kids see me being a homeowner."
Although Fleming had been working with HabiJax to get a house, she never dreamed it would come furnished.
Former NFL running back Warrick Dunn and Aaron's Furniture came together to make it happen. The house is fully stocked with linens, furnishings, food and everything needed to create a home atmosphere.
Not only did the family receive a home filled full of furniture, but they also were giving their everyday needs, such as toiletries.
Dunn, also a star at Florida State University, started his charity to help single mothers become homeowners in honor of his mother.
"Trying to provide, making only $36,000, raising six kids, you're not really going to be able to do a lot," Dunn said.
The goal is to set the family up for long-term stability and equip them with everything they need so the children can thrive.
"It gives people the opportunity who perhaps with the traditional way would not be able to afford a home," said Mary Kay O'Rourke, of Habitat for Humanity of Jacksonville.
On behalf of the family, Warrick Dunn Charities also gave a $5,000 down payment for the new home.
"We're here to help push you down the road," Dunn told Fleming. "You have to continue doing the work. You have to. I can't do it all."
Now that she's a homeowner, Fleming plans to go back to school and become a registered nurse.