Michelle Obama found an unusual ally – reality TV – in her effort to bring attention to the needs of military families and a shelter for homeless female veterans in Fayetteville.
The first lady, appearing Sunday on the two-part season premiere of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” says the program was the right platform for the cause.
“We live in a media age, and one of the things we still share is our love of television” and the stories it can tell so effectively, Obama said. “We thought this was an extraordinary venue to highlight the struggles and challenges and triumphs of a special family.”
Barbara Marshall, of Fayetteville, who served in the Navy for 15 years, was dismayed by the number of homeless female veterans and established Steps-N-Stages Jubilee House to provide shelter, counseling and other aid. When the house grew cramped and inadequate, “Extreme Makeover” and the first lady stepped in.
