In 2011, Precious Bryant and I were steady penpals. I was working to get a new mobile home for her to replace the damaged and worn one she and her son Tony had been living in for many years. The mobile home was made possible by a generous grant from Bonnie Raitt, a longtime fan of Precious and loving supporter of Music Maker’s programs. The process was deeper than I could have ever imagined. Seeking out the right home, pulling the correct permits, scheduling inspections, hiring removal and installation and coordinating with Precious’ demanding dialysis schedule (3 times a week, usually requiring 8 hour stretches).

The home was installed, a beautiful screened-in porch built and a long graded wheelchair ramp to the driveway. When I got there, she was seated on her couch with a sock cap on, the Bible open on the table in front of her. She welcomed me in her soft voice and even though we had never met in person before, it was as if we were old friends. Afterall, we had together worked through this whole process of getting the new home.

The great relief she felt in her place was present in her relaxed attitude and I could see the pride and comfort in her eyes. This time of year, when the cold creeps through the cracks in the floor and the space between the door and the frame, I think about how critical it is for our artists to have heat and properly weatherized homes, something that is not a given for many.