After a lifetime of advocacy, international travel, and successful careers, Lola Rainey found herself facing a new and daunting challenge upon returning to the United States: finding an affordable, safe, and accessible place to call home.
Now, as a future homeowner thanks to Habitat for Humanity Tucson’s Homeownership Program, Lola’s story is one of homecoming, resilience, and the profound belief that a home is more than just a building—it’s a source of peace and a foundation for community.
Lola is retired from what she describes as "a lot of lifetimes," having worked as a journalist and later as an attorney. A lifelong advocate, her purpose has always been clear: "to be an advocate for people, particularly people who are... the voiceless, sometimes those who are vulnerable and certainly the disabled, because I’m one of them." A vision impairment forced her to reassess her career, but not her commitment to contributing to her community.
Having lived abroad for years, most recently in Indonesia, Lola felt the pull to return to her roots in the Arizona desert. “I am from the desert and I’m at a point in my life where I have more time behind me than I do in front of me,” she shared. “I felt like there was a certain amount of symmetry… I came into this earth through the desert, and so now… I should leave in the desert.”
Lola threw herself into her responsibilities within the Homeownership Program and gave herself wholeheartedly, earning her sweat equity hours at both the HabiStore and the Chuck Center. As a person with low vision, she has found the Habitat Tucson team to be incredibly supportive in helping her find ways to contribute meaningfully.
She praised the staff at the Chuck Center for their openness. “They’re not putting limitations on me. They allow me to say… ‘I don’t feel comfortable’ and we work on setting safe boundaries,” Lola said. “They give me room to continue to grow.” She recently participated in a tool orientation class, tackling drilling but setting a boundary at using saws. For Lola, it’s important to show that people with disabilities are “not dead weight” and that there is a valuable role for everyone.
This collaborative spirit has given her exactly what she was searching for. “The thing that was important to me was safety, security and community,” she reflected. “I’m starting to have all those things through my associations with the home buyers, through my association with staff and through my association with volunteers.”
Currently living with her 87-year-old mother to save money, Lola is eagerly looking forward to the independence and customization of her own Habitat home.
One of the most significant changes will be having a home designed with her needs in mind. “They’re doing some ADA things for my bathroom, for my house, which means it’ll be… the first time I have a house that allows me to really get the most out of the living space,” she explained. This includes features like a walk-in shower, appropriate lighting, and audible appliances. “It means I then have a safer house to live in and one that really reflects… the reality of my life at this point.”
For Lola, this new home represents a space to create new memories and fully embrace her life’s next chapter. She looks forward to filling it with the things she loves, becoming a baker and baking bread to share with her new community, and enjoying the tranquil sounds of the desert.
"Home is more than just a building. It's a place where you are hopefully able to feel rooted and able to feel connected to whatever purpose you have in your life. It's a healing place sometimes."
Through partnership, hard work, and a shared vision of community, Lola and Habitat for Humanity Tucson’s Homeownership Program are not just building a house—she is creating a home where peace, purpose, and the scent of freshly baked bread will welcome her home.
Like Lola, your family can benefit from the Habitat for Humanity Tucson’s Homeownership Program. Learn more about how it works here.