Since becoming a Habitat owner, Diane G. has made tremendous progress. Through the Community Health Nursing Project and the Adams Park Community Center, Diane works as a Medical Search Nurse, serving the residents of the Forest Park Southeast neighborhood.

The Community Health Nursing Project is a program through the David Ranken Health committee, funded with a grant from the Deaconess Foundation. Diane works within the neighborhood to stabilize and enhance the overall health of the residents. Diane works in partnership with the residents to educate them on ways to cope with everyday struggles in life while correctly maintaining their pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, renal (kidney) failure and the effects of stroke.

Being in this position can be very challenging at times when faced with situations that are beyond her control. Separating professional responsibility from personal concerns is oftentimes difficult. Diane also faces the challenge of working within the community in which she has raised her three children for the past 12 years, thus having a vested interest in its overall success. Due to her exceptional sense of professionalism, clients that also share the role of neighbor understand that each case is kept in confidence. With this trust, they are comfortable inviting Diane into their homes and personal worlds.

In addition to working within the community on a professional level, Diane is also a very active member of the Community Council, where she works with current developers to revitalize her neighborhood. The council recently completed their latest neighborhood task of installing two new playgrounds at Rainbow Park and Adams Park Community Center. Children's Hospital donated new playground equipment through the Healthy Kids This Way Program. The council drafted their plans over the past year and implemented the work with the assistance of a group of resilient Saturday volunteers.

Diane is a model of the full-circle evolution of a Habitat family, placing partnering families in areas where they can interconnect and become essential tools within its progress.