The Why

In 2021, 10 years to the day of my Grandmother, Vonda Oldham’s, passing-

I began the mission of GRANDMAS HOUSE.- I found out that her home was abandoned by my Uncle and left for squatters.  The house was completely destroyed, but more importantly was being used to home houseless individuals, all whom left remnants of addiction and pain in their wake.  It broke my heart.  To see the same room that I had fond memories of many Thanksgivings and Christmas’, turn into something so sad and uncared for.  My grandma, Vonda, battled a lot of mental and physical illness and she didn’t drive, but none the less, she and I spent many summers together. We walked down to the Route 66 gas station, a few blocks away, to buy Diet Dr.Peppers and bananas very often. There wasn’t much else for food/ grocery, unless we wanted to walk even farther to get fried catfish from the Sinclair gas station in the opposite direction.  Now, as an adult, I’ve realized some things that I never noticed as a child: 

• We never went to the actual grocery store. Period. Neighbors who had cars would pick us up something when they went out to Firelake.

• Mental illness and addiction is more common than it is not. 

• The community (and surrounding areas) of Grandma’s House is not just a ‘food desert’ it’s an “everything desert.’  

As new housing developments are being built, the need for services and community in the south side of Shawnee is more necessary than ever and its time to build something that MY GRANDMA AND I could have benefitted from 20 years ago.