Board Member Spotlight: Mike Cashwell
Hello, I am Mike Cashwell, age 35, married to my wife Crystal and father to our son, Hunter and daughter, Paige.
I am a third generation Lake County citizen. This long-term familial connection brings not only sense of pride but also a sense of responsibility. The responsibility to invest in my community where everyone has the opportunity to build a secure, prosperous, and rewarding life.
Early on I built a sustainable landscape, maintenance, and construction business that fifteen years later employed 40 people. By providing a secure income for so many families, I felt I was giving back to my community and am very proud of this effort.
The importance of “giving back” was the primary reason why I sought to be a member of the Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter Board. As a board member I will have the opportunity to influence decisions on how we will fulfill our mission to build homes and hope, while at the same time impact community outcomes in a very positive way. Affordable housing is a big problem. It is not available to many in our community. Being on the Habitat Lake-Sumter Board will allow me to learn, understand, and hopefully refine what it takes to create housing that folks can not only afford but take pride in as well. I believe I bring real world knowledge and problem-solving capabilities which, together with other Board members, will allow us to provide the leadership needed to accomplish our goals. I believe that making housing more attainable needs to start at the state and local level. Builders are not incentivized to build affordable housing as impact fees are the same regardless of the size of the home. We need to find ways to shift the paradigm.
Being able to own and afford your own home does so much for individual families while at the same time enhancing communities. Through affordable housing we can positively impact the security of families and give them the pride and respect that comes with homeownership.
Thank you for inviting me to be a part of the Habitat Board.
Written By Mike Cashwell – Habitat Board Member
Edited By Kevin Voght – Volunteer