Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - The cat is out of the bag and the ABC's Extreme Makeover is in Buffalo today knocking on the west side home door of Delores Powell family on Buffalo's west side will receive a complete home overhaul courtesy of ABC Television's Extreme Makeover - Home Edition. Today's "Door Knock" from show host Ty Pennington kicks off a eight day frenzy of building.
Over 4,500 volunteers have signed up to help on the project and the list is still growing. More information can be found at www.davidhomes.com.
Here's more about the Powell family, in the official unveiling annoncement from Extreme Makeover
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“EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION” REBUILDS THE FOUNDATION OF AN AMERICAN DREAM FOR A STRONG, IMMIGRANT MOTHER AND DEVOTED COMMUNITY ACTIVIST
On November 7, 2009, “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” travels to Buffalo, New York to meet Delores Powell, a Jamaican immigrant and community activist whose home is barely livable despite the work and repairs she has poured into it over the past five and a half years. In just seven days, team leader Ty Pennington, the design team, and hundreds of local volunteers lead by David Homes will rebuild the crumbling home of Delores and her four children – providing them with the solid foundation with which to build and support their dreams.
Twenty-two years ago, Delores Powell moved to the United States from Jamaica in search of the American dream. Making just $100 a week as a home health aide, she struggled to make ends meet. Delores worked hard to support herself and her growing family and became a U.S. citizen in May of 1999, but the accomplishment was overshadowed by the abusive nature of her relationship. In 2002, after reaching her limit, Delores picked up her children and moved to Buffalo, NY, in search of affordable housing. They rented an apartment for a year before finding what they believed was the jackpot: a six bedroom “fixer upper.” Unable to afford a lawyer, Delores struck a deal with the seller personally but unfortunately, the seller failed to disclose that the house was on the city’s demolition list. Never one to give up, Delores begged the city for leniency and they agreed to waive the order if she could get the house up to code. Delores, 49, and her children Joel, 18, Gabrielle, 16, Deborah, 15, and Anschel, 10, began building scaffolding, hanging drywall, installing windows, and making countless other repairs. Even after five and a half years of repair work, the family’s home is barely livable.
Delores’ hard work and devotion doesn’t stop at her front door. She is an activist with the grassroots, non-profit community organization “PUSH Buffalo,” that works to rebuild and improve the West Side of Buffalo. Now it’s up to Ty and the design team to build Delores and her family the strong, safe home that will support their family and their dreams.
The Powell family will go on vacation to Walt Disney World while “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” team leader Ty Pennington, designers Michael Maloney, Paige Hemmis, and Eduardo Xol, local builder David Homes, and community volunteers rebuild their home.
The series is produced by Endemol USA, a division of Endemol Holding. It is executive-produced by Anthony Dominici. David Goldberg is Chairman, Endemol North America.
“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” is broadcast with Spanish subtitles via secondary closed captioning. A TV parental guideline will be posted closer to airdate.
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