Just in time for the holidays, Ashley HomeStore helps once homeless New Braunfels, Texas family

NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas, Dec. 18, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A once homeless New Braunfels, Texas family who slept in their car and in a local storage facility finally has a fully furnished home to call their own thanks to Clayton, a leading builder of prefabricated and site built homes, and Ashley HomeStore.

The owners of a mobile roadside assistance company, Mona Lisa and Oscar De Paz tried to live their dream of owning a business and providing for their family of five.  However when receiving payments from clients proved to be a challenge, the De Paz family with their three boys under the age of 12 suddenly found themselves without a place to live.

Fortunately, the manager of the storage facility where the De Paz family lived and kept their belongings suggested they contact Family Promise, a national nonprofit organization helping homeless and low-income families achieve sustainable independence through a community-based response.

In three months, the family successfully completed the program's requirements, secured steady employment and housing and achieved sustainable independence.

"The family is a shining example of perseverance in the most challenging of circumstances," says Gary Seals, CEO of New Braunfels-based Hill Country Holdings, licensee of 34 Ashley HomeStore locations in Texas, Seattle, Oregon and Idaho.  "When we learned about the opportunity to complete their dream of home ownership, we jumped right in."

Besides donating furniture for the family room and bedrooms, the Ashley HomeStore team added accessories with inspirational messages based on the De Paz family story.

"We wanted the family to have a real connection to their new home furnishings," Seals said.

Helping a New Braunfels family was particularly significant for Hill Country Holdings, Seals added, given the company's presence in the community where it operates its corporate offices, a regional distribution center and an Ashley HomeStore location.

"New Braunfels is our home," he said.  "It means a lot to help out a neighbor."

About Hill Country Holdings

Hill Country Holdings, one of the largest independent owners of Ashley HomeStores, operates 35 stores throughout Texas, Seattle, Oregon, and Idaho.  Ashley HomeStore locations in Texas can be found in Austin, San Antonio, Houston, and the Rio Grande Valley. Seattle area locations include Silverdale, Burlington, Tukwila, Tacoma, Olympia, and Richland. Oregon HomeStores are located in Portland.

SOURCE Ashley HomeStore