Daniel and Mandy Watson would never have guessed six years ago when The Restoration House was in its infancy that the organization would be reaping the benefits of a major reality show.-
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KNOXVILLE (WATE) - After the huge exposure The Restoration House got following the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition build in Knoxville, the charity has been booming. More single moms are getting the help they need.
It's back to business at The Restoration House office. Despite all of the fanfare the Extreme Makeover Home: Edition show brought to the charity, the work remains the same.
"I never thought I wanted kids, so to have a child and then to feel the love," said Cortney Bean.
Bean is proud of her journey. She says bringing three-year-old son Braxton into the world was frightening until she was able to gain a vision for her life through The Restoration House.
Now she has a good job and will earn her college degree in May 2013.
"I am feeling awesome. I feel like I can take the world on. Where as before I didn't feel like a clear path in what i was going to do," says Bean.
Daniel and Mandy Watson would never have guessed six years ago when The Restoration House was in its infancy that the organization would be reaping the benefits of a major reality show.
"One of the most exciting things was in May of this year we were able to buy the six acres right next door to our property, and so we will be able to break ground on 24 more units here in March of this coming year," said Daniel. "So exciting a little bit after a year after the build that we are going to be in a position to quadruple the capacity of The Restoration House locally."
That means many more single moms struggling to survive will now get the help and family advocacy they need.
"Knoxville has over 6,000 low income single mothers. So even at 24 we are just scratching the surface, but it's certainly better than six at a time," said Daniel.
The Watsons hope this new chapter for The Restoration House is just the beginning for the women they serve.
"They are also women who are just on the verge of self sufficiency, who are motivated and ready to go after what they always wanted and sometimes that means helping them learn to dream again," said Mandy.
The new housing unit will cost about $2.6 million to build. About half of the funds have been raised. The Watsons hope the national exposure of The Restoration House in Monday's broadcast will generate lots of donations from people that find their cause worthy.
