African American Success Story
First Lady Joins Navy Veteran on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
By Elaine Sanchez, American Forces Press Service W
ith First Lady Michelle Obama at her side and hundreds of volun- teers and well-wishers cheering behind her, Navy veteran Barbara Marshall and her family faced a giant bus embla- zoned with Extreme Makeover: Home Edition parked right in front of their home [in Fayetteville, NC] yesterday. “Move that bus! Move that bus!” the crowd chanted with increasing fer- vor, momentarily forgetting the scorch- ing heat.
The bus pulled off, and Marshall’s
jaw dropped as she caught her first glimpse of the new Jubilee House, built courtesy of the ABC reality show. Tears flowed as she took in the two-story, 5,000-square-foot house that would serve as a home not only for her family, but also for the countless homeless fe- male veterans she’s dedicated her life to helping. The First Lady and the show’s star designer, Ty Pennington, leaned in
First Lady Michelle Obama surprises Navy veteran Barbara Marshall on the set of the ABC reality series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition in Fayetteville, N.C., July 21, 2011. The first lady appeared on the show to promote her Joining Forces military support campaign and to pay tribute to Marshall, who has dedicated her time and resources to helping homeless female veterans.
close to catch Marshall’s first impression of the new house, but her words were lost among the crowd’s cheers. A highlight of the experience, the First
Lady said later, was “watching the faces of the families as they saw their beautiful new home for the first time.”
First Lady Michelle Obama greets Navy veteran Barbara Marshall on the set of the ABC reality series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition in Fayetteville, NC, July 21, 2011. Obama appeared on the show to thank Marshall for her work to support homeless female veterans.
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After 15 years of Navy service and a growing passion for helping fellow veter- ans, Marshall used her own resources to establish the Steps-N-Stages Jubilee House while still maintaining a separate residence for her own family. The center offers shel- ter, support and services such as mentoring and life coaching to homeless female vet- erans. At any given time, Marshall housed up to three veterans and their families in the small, 1,500-square-foot house. Once Extreme Makeover producers caught wind of Marshall’s dedication, they knew it was time she had the additional
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space and resources she needed to carry out her personal mission.
“Barbara Marshall is my personal hero,” said Diane Korman, an Extreme Makeover producer. “She saw there was a problem with homeless female veter- ans and wanted to do something about it to help women get back on their feet.” Fresh off travels to promote her Joining Forces military family support campaign, Obama said she felt com- pelled to appear on the reality show af- ter hearing of Marshall’s selfless service to others. Marshall is a powerful exam- ple of how veterans are continuing to serve even when they’re no longer in uniform, she told American Forces Press Service yesterday.
“The fact that this woman has
opened her home—which she didn’t have much—to other women who are
The Black EOE Journal
DOD PHOTOS BY ELAINE SANCHEZ
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