ORANGE, Texas — An Orange County nonprofit is teaming up with Catholic Charities to give a man a home for the holidays.
After being hit by four storms in five years, Steve Norwood has a brand new home thanks to Orange County Disaster Rebuild.
A flood in 2016 left Norwood's home in ruins and then storms like Harvey and Imelda only made it worse. For a year, he's been fighting for a place to lay his head.
Norwood was the final recipient on their list, this Christmas. He didn't believe he was finally getting a new home until he walked through the door.
"That's another thing, I'd almost gave up on Christmas. The spirit of Christmas.... What a wonderful present that we are allowed to do," said Norwood.
His home was once deemed unlivable but now it's picture perfect.
Norwood says he has struggled for years trying to get help.
"Where am I gonna come up with the money? Cause it wasn't there, there wasn't no place I could get it and I tried for two years. Like I said, got told a bunch of this and that. Until I met Heather," Norwood told 12News.
Heather Clark is a Disaster Case Manager with Catholic Charities of Southeast Texas. She made it her mission to help Norwood.
"It was about three feet of water within his home. And then he was re-impacted within a year during Hurricane Harvey. Then Tropical Storm Imelda and then Hurricane Laura Delta," Clark said.
Walking up the steps he couldn't believe his eyes. His new home included a fully furnished living room, a bathtub and a matching washer and dryer.
"Never had a matching washer and dryer either in my life," Norwood said as he walked into his brand new home for the first time.
Even the refrigerator was filled with groceries.
"We wanted to make sure that whenever he walked into this house he was set. He did not have to worry for anything," said Clark.
These are amenities that Norwood has had to live without.
"I told Heather that if they give me a 12 by 20 shed and the city would approve of it I'd be fine. Because I know people who is living in them. You know? And if it's good enough for them it's good enough for me," Norwood said.
This Christmas miracle wouldn't have been possible without the help of Orange County Disaster Rebuild.
"We want to be able to do for individuals and families that can't do it on their own. To a couple of months ago where he felt like he had no hope to today where he feels like he has hope. It's the light at the end of the tunnel," said Orange County Disaster Rebuild Executive Director Michelle Tubbleville.
The project used local contractors and business and pumped $3.1 million back into the Orange economy.
Norwood says the first thing he's doing in his brand new home is cooking a cheeseburger.