I was born on January 12 1945, in Los Angeles and raised in the Compton/ Willowbrook area. After graduating from Compton College with AA in automotive repair, I served in the U.S. Navy from 1964 to 1968, where I refined my mechanical skills.

Following my service, I worked at various car dealerships and eventually opened my own business, Lee's BMC Repair, specializing in British motor cars. I ran the business successfully for 20 years before closing it in 1998 due to economic changes.

Life brought many challenges, including financial struggles to save my family home on Slater Ave, where I grew up. After my sister's passing and several personal hardships, I returned to live on the property. I faced declining health due to severe gout and arthritis, making it difficult to maintain the house. In January 2023, a fire destroyed my mobile home, leaving me severely injured. After months in recovery, I returned to the house in September 2023, determined to restore it despite limited resources.

As I approach my 80th birthday, my focus is on my health and improving my home. Any support from Habitat for Humanity to make my living conditions safer would be a tremendous blessing for this veteran.

• Roof replacement

I am 33 years old, raised in Compton and Paramount. I graduated from Paramount High School in 2009 and joined the U.S. Navy shortly after.

My first tour (2009-2013) was stationed in Washington State, where I deployed twice on the USS John C. Stennis. During my second tour (2013-2016), I served as a recruiter in Los Angeles. My final tour (2016-2020) was with Special Boat Team Twelve in San Diego. After my son was born in 2017, I decided to leave the Navy to focus on my education and be present for him.

I am the son of immigrants from Michoacan, Mexico, and the only member of my extended family to serve in the military. After 11 years of service, I reached the rank of E6 and now work as a teacher at California State University, Long Beach.

This grant will help me repair our worn-out fence, damaged stucco, and replace a broken gate, making our home safer and preventing further damage. These repairs are essential for my family's comfort and peace of mind.

To ensure their home continues to be a safe and comfortable space, our planned improvements to Ruben's house include:

• Fence replacement
• Exterior stucco repair
• Paint