Hometown Habitat News

Meet the Gonzalez Family: A Home for the Holidays

The holidays are times when traditions are born, when gathering together holds more sentiment and when houses become homes. Whether your welcoming in generations of family and friends, or your traveling hundreds of miles to spend time with your loved ones, the phrase “Home for the Holidays” stirs emotions in all of us. However, for those dealing with the chaos caused by a sudden change in their living situation, the holidays are often accompanied by constant reminders that their sense of home has been washed away.

Surviving the utter destruction that swept through Puerto Rico with Hurricane Maria was just the beginning of an arduous journey that led Yolanda and Osvaldo to Central Florida and ultimately to Habitat for Humanity. “The experience was horribly devastating,” says Yolanda. “We lost our electricity, we lost food and there was no water. A lot of lives were lost on the island.” In fact, nearly 3,000 deaths we’re caused by the hurricane.

With the help of a church located in the states, the couple fled their home in Puerto Rico, destined for Sanford, Florida, with only the belongings they could carry in two suitcases. After spending their first month in a hotel in Sanford, they were able to find an apartment in Casselberry. However, after their first year in the apartment, the rent was set to increase to a point that would challenge their means.

“I started searching in August for other options, rental opportunities, but none suited our economic abilities,” said Yolanda. “I turned on the news and an interview that mentioned a community being developed by Habitat for Humanity caught my attention.”

The community was Habitat for Humanity’s Veteran’s Village in Umatilla, Florida. Veteran’s Village is a collaborative project that provides access to affordable quality housing and holistic wraparound services through a partnership with Combat Veterans to Careers.

“There’s our House!” Yolanda remembers saying to her husband. What she didn’t remember was hearing any contact information. A week went by and, while in prayer and searching the internet, Yolanda found the information she was looking for and, after confirming her husband Osvaldo was a Veteran of the Vietnam war, they began the process.

The couple celebrated their first Christmas in their new home with their children who traveled to spend the holidays with them. “Our new home was full of joy, many emotions and gratitude,” said Yolanda. They also brought with them the tradition of “Three Kings Day,” a Latin-American celebration akin to the “Feast of the Epiphany,” along with songs from the island and traditional holiday cuisine.

“In Puerto Rico, everything is decorated with lights during the Christmas season and that’s exactly what we did here,” said Yolanda. “We decorated the outside of our house as well as the inside with our Christmas Tree.”

The couple says the warmth of their new community has contributed to them feeling at home. They’ve developed “marvelous friendships,” sharing meals and great conversations with their new neighbors.

Having a “home” again was more than just finding an affordable place to live for Yolanda as Osvaldo. “In this stage of our lives, my husband and I are enjoying the peace and tranquility which God has gifted us through our new house,” she said. “And a house becomes a home by the love that is shared in it.”

National Home Builders Association-Best in America

As one of the top 10 homebuilders in the country, Habitat for Humanity is not new to the construction world. What differentiates us here at Habitat Lake Sumter is the ways in which we adapt to the evolving needs of the community and take advantage of unique opportunities to do so. One of the ways we accomplished that was through the building of the Veterans Village in Umatilla, and the project was novel enough to catch the eye of the National Association of Homebuilders. Check out the full article here!

Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter builds homes for veterans, active military members

Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter built affordable homes for veterans, active military called ‘Veterans Village.’ (Sarah Panko, staff)

UMATILLA, Fla. — Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter is done building homes in a Lake County neighborhood.

  • Habitat for Humanity builds homes for ‘Veterans Village’
  • Affordable homes meant for veterans, active military

The 13 affordable homes are for veterans, activity military and spouses of those who have served.

It’s called the Veterans Village and it’s located in Umatilla.

Shawn Unger moved into the development at the end of June.

“(I) wanted to get out of the apartment living and into a home. I do have two small children in the house, so a little more wholesome living than that of the apartment,” said Unger.

Unger says he went into the Air Force when he was 17 years old after graduating from high school.

“My parents had to give me permission to do so and sign a form, and then I reported to Lackland Air Force base in 1985,” he said.

Unger’s house is one of 13 Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter started building in 2016.

Click here for the full article!

Lake County veterans village offers homes exclusively for America’s military heroes

 – Kathleen Mabry says joining the U.S. Army at 32 years old, was one of the most difficult things she has ever done. It was the early 1970’s and Mabry was a single mom who needed a job. So, she turned over temporary, legal custody of her children to her best friend and shipped out for grueling basic training.”It was tough. But I was raised tough.” Mabry says. She served stateside in the Army for 6 years during the tail end of the Vietnam War. Her career ended not long after a severe injury while on duty. Decades later, she received a thank you for her service she says she never saw coming. She is one of the newest resident in the Veterans Village. It is a small Umatilla neighborhood built by Habitat for Humanity of Lake/Sumter. All of the homeowners are veterans of U.S. military service.

The News Station’s Tom Johnson takes you there.

Click here for the video!

Unger Family

Through his time in the United States Air Force and his various career tracks post-service, Shawn Unger has travelled across most of the North American continent. Born and raised in West Virginia, Shawn enlisted right after graduating high school in 1985 and spent a full year in Mississippi learning to be a radar technician. He was initially slated to head to Europe for his duty station, but it was then changed last minute to South Dakota.

Once he left the Air Force, he began working for SAIC, a major IT support company, and transitioned from there to Sprint where he worked up to a position as Network Service Manager for the AOL account. After a talk with his father one day at a NASCAR race, he decided to try out the trucking world, and drove big rigs all over the US and Canada; his last employer, out of Tampa, is what led him to make Florida his home.

He left the trucking industry to work for the Department of Homeland Security for a short while before returning to an IT position with Convergys in Lake Mary, Florida. He now lives with his two young sons, Phoenix and Caleb, while his eldest son Timmy lives in New Hampshire. Shawn is looking forward to his wedding later this year to his fiancée, Rowena, who is from the Philippines.

Sponsor of the Month: My Favorite Things


One of the ways we get our community involved with our mission, beyond writing a check or attending an event, is to get them out on the work site on a Team Build. This creates a sense of ownership and engagement with the project and can feel so rewarding that some groups come right back for more! While many businesses, churches, and civic groups will come out once a year, some want the back-to-back experience; one of these groups is My Favorite Things out of Eustis, and they put in some serious work at the Veterans Village.

My Favorite Things emphasizes a culture of giving in their mission statement and focuses every aspect of their operation on fostering that mindset. A family-run business, they want to make sure that all employees are treated as one of their own and that everyone gives back, as a group. Putting their hands behind their words, their first Team Build in March was some low-glamour, high-necessity work at the Veterans Village. Their team primed an entire house with a healthy, paint-ready coat, and they scraped the floors in another house to have it ready for flooring. While it wasn’t the flashy stuff, the work they did was crucial for the next steps to happen on schedule.

On their second work day in April, we treated them to some more hands-on type of work. Splitting into groups, one worked on installing flooring and the others prepared the kitchen cabinetry for installation and finished up some decorative patio pillars. They breezed through the flooring like it was second nature and the patio is ready for some final touches, and as they wrapped up for the day said they were excited for the next one!

It’s this type of engagement and enthusiasm that keeps our projects ahead of schedule and helps us further our mission. If your group is interested in joining us, reach out to Matt at 352-483-0434 x146 or matt@habitatls.org to get hands on for a hand up, not a hand out.

Facebook Album Team Build 3.22.18

Facebook Album Team Build 4.19.18

The Reason to Give

A Beginning and an End

On April 14th, Habitat of Lake-Sumter was proud to dedicate three new homes and officially welcome the Homrich, Dyhr, and Mabry families to the Veterans Village!  The families were honored for their hard work and dedication through the completion of the Home ownership program, and were celebrated on beginning the first chapter of their new journey.  This event came as the perfect ending to a season of generosity in our community, as local donors alongside RoMac-Lumber & Supply raised money in support of the community through the March Match campaign.

The Veterans Housing Initiative has always been a special cause to Don Magruder, CEO of RoMac, and his pledge to match donations, dollar for dollar, inspired donors to give generously… doubling their investment in affordable housing. This year, the match ran through the month of March, and because of the community’s generosity and dedication to the mission, the campaign met and exceeded the goal of $10,000!

Our Community Partner

As one of our long-standing partners, RoMac Lumber & Supply has been a huge contributor to our mission and has enabled us to continue reaching the community across Lake and Sumter county. RoMac has been a staple of Lake County for over 70 years and has expanded to serve much of the Southeast United States. Whether it’s wood, trusses, doors, or otherwise, RoMac has remained a steady supplier of quality materials and service for central Florida and beyond.

Our Homeowners, The Reason to Give

In attendance to greet and celebrate our three Veteran families were 20 community members. The joint home dedication, gave an opportunity for food, fellowship, and viewing of the families homes.  Each homeowner has their own story to tell, but here is little bit about each family:

  • Greg Homrich served in the United States Marine Corps, Army, and National Guard, and is still serving his community as a dispatcher for the Leesburg Police Department.  Upon getting to know Greg, you will quickly find out that he is most excited about becoming a member of this unique community, having already built relationships with many of his neighbors.
  • Beth Dyhr, is the spouse of her late husband who proudly served in the United States Marine Corps.  As Beth’s first home as a single women, she is thrilled to start a new chapter in her life and instill her own passionate, vibrant spirit into the home.
  • Kathleen Mabry was a member of the United States Army, and her ability to define strength through adversity left a mark on our staff.  She is proud to be a new homeowner, and shared that the opportunity is most special because it offers a safe and secure home for her to raise her 10-year old grandson.

About the Community

The Veterans Housing Initiative led us to develop the Veterans Village in Umatilla, Florida, where veterans and their families enjoy safe, affordable housing built in a small neighborhood that focuses on relationships. Our ability to meet the needs of our local veterans is due to the compassion and generosity of our community and through partners like RoMac. We also teamed up with Combat Veterans to Careers to offer extra services to the residents – things like healthcare, transportation, and help navigating the Veterans Affairs system, to name a few. This ensures that we’re providing not just a house but a community network of support, which for many veterans is crucial for the stability they seek.

As a community-based and community-focused organization, it’s always inspiring to see how much can be done on a local scale. Your consistent support, whether it’s financial or volunteering or both, never ceases to amaze us, and we thank you so much for it! We’re looking ahead eagerly to the next big project and can’t wait to bring you along for it.

 

Matching Donations for the Month of March!

There’s a big reason happy hour is usually so happy – buy one, get one! Everything is better when it’s doubled, and it’s no different for your donations.

We now have an amazing opportunity to make your $25, $50, or $100 donation go twice as far and help us build twice as many homes for low-income veteran families in the community. For the entire month of March, our longtime partner and sponsor, RoMac Lumber & Supply, will be matching every dollar donated to Habitat for Humanity of Lake Sumter, up to $10,000!  All proceeds under this program will go towards our Veterans Village in Umatilla, Florida, and will help us place more veterans in need into a new home. For many of these families, home ownership is just out of reach, but with your help we’ll be able to give them a hand up and help them towards a more stable future.

In a month otherwise known for its madness, take a moment and donate towards someone’s peace of mind, brought by the fact they now have a safe, affordable home to call their own. You have through March 31st to double your dollar!

Double Your Donation Now!

About Ro-Mac:

Ro-Mac Lumber & Supply was founded in 1945 by the McDonald and Robuck families when they jointly purchased Woods Lumber Company in Green Cove Springs, Florida. A second yard was opened in Tallahassee, Florida in 1945, and the company officially took the Ro-Mac name with the purchase of Leesburg Lumber and Supply in 1947.

The flagship store in Leesburg went through a major renovation in 1950, and was a leading provider of construction materials in the Central Florida area. In 1972, a fire devastated the facility, and the Robuck family, along with members of the community, rebuilt the facility.

During the 1980′s, the company added its door shop, and expanded the Leesburg operation to offer more services to the professional customer. In January 1988, Dan Robuck, a successful practicing attorney in Central Florida, took the lead and became sole owner and CEO.

Under Dan Robuck’s direction, the company opened a store in Lady Lake, and acquired Golden Triangle Supply in Mount Dora in the early 1990′s. The company greatly expanded its garage door installation business with several acquisitions, and it became a leading provider of commercial doors and hardware.

Click here to learn more about our sponsor.

Habitat’s Veterans Village offers affordable homeownership as state signals shift toward rentals

UMATILLA — Military veteran Don Marshall, 76, lived with his wife, Mae, for 14 years in an RV in this Lake County city.

“I’ve paid $47,000 over the years into the campground,” said Marshall, a retired railroad car builder who was drafted into the Army during the Vietnam War. “They’d raise the rent, and there’s nothing you can do about it. Now, I’m paying to own.”

The couple recently moved into a 1,100-square-foot cottage, one of 14 in the Lake-Sumter Habitat for Humanity’s Veterans Village. Averaging about $110,000, the idyllic, porch-front homes are aimed at providing quality affordable housing to low-income veterans and their widows in Lake and Sumter counties, where 45,000 military veterans reside.

But even as Habitat helps veterans become homeowners in the community off State Road 19, a state task force is recommending that more public dollars be put instead toward rentals for the thousands of people, including non-veterans, affected by the housing crisis.

Click here to read the full article.

Impact Report 2017

For many organizations, the check you write, the cash you donate, or the credit card you charge is the last you see of those funds. However, we don’t want you feeling like your donations are sent to a mysterious account with unknown results; to help ensure that doesn’t happen, we provide an annual Impact Report that details the work we’ve done and how your contributions have been put to use in the community. With various initiatives and passions among our partner base, we know it’s a reassuring and rewarding feeling knowing that your desire to help a certain program has measurable and tangible results!

Read over our report and take a look at the last year of progress, and remember that all those lives affected have been due to your continued support; on behalf of your Hometown Habitat and the homeowners we serve, thank you!

June 2016-July 2017 Impact Report

Collegiate Challenge Contributions: Ohio State

With winter breaks beginning across the country, the season of Collegiate Challenge groups has begun! This program allows students to take “alternative breaks” and forgo the usual Caribbean cruise or ski trip to volunteer with a community service program of their choosing.

For us, that means putting students to work at one of our projects – new home construction or preservation and repair efforts. With Ohio State having been involved with the Veterans Village from the start, we we sure to continue the tradition, and the local Patriot Guard was eager to join us in thanking them. Check out some of our pictures of the Buckeyes in action!

Why We Build…Curtis Walter’s Story

Curtis was one of the first Homeowners we served through our Veterans Housing Initiative.  His story is moving, and continually reminds us of the importance of a safe home.

HABITAT RECEIVES $100,000 GIFT FROM HOME DEPOT FOUNDATION TO BENEFIT VETERANS VILLAGE

Thanks to a generous $100,000 gift from the Home Depot Foundation, Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter, Florida will join Home Depot’s associate-led volunteer force, Team Depot, on Saturday to celebrate Veterans Day and to continue building Veterans Village in Umatilla.

The grant allows Habitat of Lake-Sumter and volunteers to start work on the second phase of the building low-income homes for veterans.

Click here to read the full article.

Sponsor of The Month: The Home Depot Foundation

We are excited to announce The Home Depot Foundation as one of our new partners of the Veterans Village – a community for our service men and women in Umatilla, Florida.  Recently, the Home Depot Foundation awarded Habitat for Humanity’s Veterans Village a grant of $100,000 to support the building of homes for low-income Veterans.  Kent Adcock, Habitat for Humanity’s CEO states “We are extremely grateful for the support of The Home Depot Foundation, they have been a long standing partner of Habitat for Humanity and do so much for the Veteran community across the nation.”

As a partner in the Veterans Village, The Home Depot Foundation will not only support the Veterans Village financially but also through volunteerism.  Team Depot, a group of Home Depot associate volunteers, work to improve the homes and lives of U.S. military veterans and their families.  We are excited to have the support of local Team Depot members who will be working at the Village over the next year.  To kick off the partnership and start up the onsite building with Team Depot, both local store managers from Lady Lake and Leesburg are gathering Team Depot members for their first event on Veterans Day – Saturday, November 11th.

Below are a few photos from the first Team Depot project in Coleman, Florida.  They did an amazing job!

Check out the full story of the project!

 

 

 

Sponsor of the Month: Wells Fargo

September 2017 sponsor of the month wells fargo

Thank you Wells Fargo and The Wells Fargo Housing Foundation, along with local bank employees for rallying around the Veterans Village!  On September 9th, local employees will be onsite volunteering at the Veterans Village, working on homes that Wells Fargo and The Wells Fargo Housing Foundation helped fund.  We couldn’t do it without you!  Thank you for helping our Veterans build strength, stability, and self reliance through shelter.


ABOUT WELLS PHILANTHROPY

Wells Fargo support thousands of national and community-based nonprofits annually to help revitalize and strengthen communities. They are among the top corporate cash donors among U.S. companies, donating $281.3 million to 14,900 nonprofits in 2016 to support financial education, community development, affordable housing, education, disaster relief, clean technology, job training, environmental education, and other critical social, economic, and environmental challenges around the world.

Wells Fargo and the Wells Fargo Foundation provide monetary support, expertise, and volunteers to national and local nonprofit organizations and causes that align with our business priorities, values, business expertise, and geographies. They focus philanthropic activities on creating long-term, strategic relationships with nonprofits and other organizations to create innovative, sustainable solutions to meet local needs. Their team members help make an even bigger impact through their passion, time, and expertise.

Veterans Village Photo Tour

Read the rest of this entry »

Sponsor of the Month: Garney Construction

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Members from Garney Construction joined us for a Team Building day in support of our Veterans Village.  Team Builds are a great way to support the community, promote team moral, and gain exposure for your company or club.  Through Garney’s Team Build they made a financial investment as well as a physical investment, through hands on volunteering to rally together to support our Veteran families and supply them with a beautiful place to call home.  A big thanks to our partners at Garney Construction!

ABOUT GARNEY:

Garney is all about water. Clean water or dirty water. We move it. We treat it. We store it. Whatever your water needs, there is one simple solution – Garney.

Our relationship with water didn’t just happen. It’s been built project by project for more than half a century. As we’ve made the water flow, people across the country have come to depend on us for quality, integrity and the customer satisfaction that comes from getting more than your money’s worth. We are one of the nation’s leading water and wastewater contractors because we deliver more than water. We deliver excellence.

Garney. Advancing Water.

To learn more about Garney Construction visit them at http://www.garney.com/. To learn more about the Veterans Village or how to participate in a Team Build email danielle@habitatls.org.

 

 

LOCAL HABITAT FOR HUMANITY RECEIVES $7,000 GRANT FROM UPS FOUNDATION

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Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter has been awarded a $7,000 grant from The UPS Foundation to benefit Veterans Village, the 13-home development in Umatilla.

Habitat officials say the grant will be fund accessibility features for two houses, which will include a universal design concept with custom ramps and roll-in showers for veterans who may have a physical impairment.

Click here to read the full article!

Habitat for Humanity honors Central Florida veterans with their own “village”

 

Vets Village Open for Visitors

vets village open for visitors

Over the past few years women of the Villages Decorating Club have supported local Habitat families and our mission of providing affordable housing. Typically the club sponsors homes in The Villages area, but excited at a chance to give back to the Veteran community they donated $4,000 to provide new microwaves for each of the Veterans Village homes.  In gratitude of their gift, and to show off the newly installed microwaves, Habitat for Humanity invited the club for a sight-seeing tour of the Veterans Villages neighborhood.

On a very hot and busy day at the Village, two buses filled to the brim with over 90 women arrived to see the community first hand – the first of many tours coming to the Veterans Village this year. After a short introduction by Danielle Stroud, the club members were able to walk through all 6 veterans’ houses and ask questions about the project.

The tours proved to be a fun, educational, and successful event and Habitat is hopeful that the tours to follow will be just as successful. This November Habitat plans to provide free tours to donors and volunteers, as well as the general public to see the grounds and available homes.

Read the rest of this entry »

Sponsor of the Month: Ace Hardware Umatilla

july 2017 sponsor of them month newsletter

CARTER’S ACE HARDWARE is committed to providing solutions to our customers, community, and associates with honesty and integrity.  This year we are excited to partner with Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter, right here in Umatilla, as a house sponsor in their Veterans Village!

Local, family-owned businesses are the heart of Lake County. Roy Carter and his family have owned and operated various stores dating back to 1964, the year that he and his business partner Ken Reutebuch purchased Tavares Ace Hardware. They established a goal to provide customers with the highest level of service and quality products at competitive prices. Read the rest of this entry »

Video of Vonhold Home Dedication

 

Thanks to Lang Film Co. who made this production possible!

First home christened in Veterans Village in Umatilla

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UMATILLA — Reed and Michele Vonhold stood in the kitchen of their soon-to-be new home in Umatilla on Monday and were already planning family get-togethers.

“Thanksgiving at our house this year now that I have my own, and big enough, kitchen,” Michele Vonhold excitedly announced to her son, father and brothers.

The Vonholds then walked through the rest of the house, talking about the placement of furniture and decorations.

“This is a dream come true,” Reed said.

Read Full Story Here

Veterans Village: A Project Update

 

What’s Next?

  • In June we will be dedicating the homes for our first set of homeowners and celebrating them!  We hope you can join us.
  • In late June we will be laying the foundation for the next four homes.
  • We will be finalizing the Master Plan and all the floors plans by our last round of building in December.

Interested in coming out for a tour?

Give Danielle a call 352-630-3318

Want to come out and volunteer?

Give Carlos a call 352-483-0434 Ext 119

Matching Gifts through March

Matching Gift

It is always a good time to get on board and donate to the Veterans Village… but if you’ve been on the fence or dragging your feet – the time is NOW!  RoMac Lumber and Supply will be matching dollar for dollar gifts to the Veterans Village throughout the month of March (up to $10,000).  Join us in saluting our Veterans and providing them a safe place to call home.  Your gift will provide much needed support for neighbors in need.  To learn more about the Veterans Village or ways to give, contact Danielle – 352-630-3318.

DONATE HERE


Sponsor of the Month:  RoMac Lumber & Supply

In addition to the Matching Gift through the Month of March RoMac Lumber is a proud sponsor of two homes in the Veterans Village.  The organization is deeply rooted in the community and is a wonderful partner.  Here is a bit of their history:

Read the rest of this entry »

Local Bank Builds Veteran Home

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On Saturday, February 4th board members, executives, and staff of United Southern Bank were onsite at the Veterans Village to volunteer. United Southern Bank has been a longstanding partner of Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter and their vision of providing affordable housing to local Veterans.

Read the full article here!

Habitat of Lake-Sumter in Search of Veteran Home Owners

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Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter, Florida is in search of qualified Veteran home owners interested in living in the Veterans Village community in Umatilla, FL.

Read the full article here!

Charity begins at home

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Habitat for Humanity of Lake Sumter has helped families in need of safe and decent housing achieve the American dream since 1989, and now the organization is in the early stages of building Veterans Village and is looking into the future. Constructing a community of micro homes—affordable housing for seniors and millennials—just may be on the horizon.

Read the full article here!

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Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter wins $25,000 grant for Veterans Village

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Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter has been chosen as a recipient of a $25,000 Open Doors Homeownership Grant from CAHEC to assist in the costs of development of the Veterans Village in Umatilla. 

Please click here for full article.

Groundbreaking held for Veterans Village complex

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UMATILLA — More than a dozen veterans groups marched out to help their own celebrate during a groundbreaking ceremony Saturday for an affordable housing complex in Umatilla.

Veterans Village, a Habitat for Humanity project, will consist of 14 houses on more than 3 acres off of U.S. Highway 19 that will be home to veterans, spouses of deceased veterans and active military.

Habitat for Humanity Lake-Sumter officials said that two homes were already on the property when it was purchased. Concrete slabs have been planted for two more and those two houses are expected to be ready by June 2017.

Click here for the full article.

Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter, Veterans Village Breaks Ground

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Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter, Florida is hosting A Patriot’s Lunch and Ground Breaking on Saturday, November 5, 2016 from 11am-2pm to celebrate their up and coming Veterans Village. We welcome the public to join us at this free, family friendly event:  112 Turtle Run Umatilla, FL 32784 (previously The Cottages at Waters Edge).

Click here for the full article

A Place To Call Home

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The familiar adage “birds of a feather flock together” works well when referring to how people with similar experiences find a true bond when they’re together.

For many veterans, including those recently returned stateside, that proverb often helps facilitate a successful re-integration into civilian life and may be a key part of the soldier’s survival. Veterans will tell you there’s something validating and comforting about talking to other men and women who have been there and done that. These peers understand what it was like to face daily threats and understand the lasting impact of witnessing unspeakable acts of cruelty. A fellow veteran will also understand those memories trigger recurring bouts of past-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Click here for the full article

Habitat makes changes to build more homes

Habitat makes changes to build more homes

BUSHNELL — Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter recently announced plans to make better use of donor money and better serve those in need of homes.

The Habitat board has plans to move future new home construction to Sumter County, where impact fees are significantly less than Lake County, which is where most of its new construction has been in the past.

And Habitat moved the proposed Veterans Village from Leesburg to the Cottages at Waters Edge, a 14-lot development in Umatilla, where the impact fees already had been paid by the developer.

“Both moves provide a better use of money donated by area residents,” said Danielle Stroud, director of development for Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter.

Click Here for the Full Article

AMVETS Post 2006 pays tribute to area veterans

Tribute to veterans

Hundreds attended a tribute to American veterans May 21 at ViaPort in Leesburg. The event, sponsored by AMVETS Post 2006, drew a number of dignitaries, including County Commissioners Jimmy Conner and Timothy Sullivan, who is a retired brigadier general; Congressman Daniel Webster; Lake County Sheriff Gary Borders; Miss Florida MaryKatherine Fechtel; State Representative Larry Metz; Lake County Property Appraiser Carey Baker, and many others.

Click Here For Full Article

Veterans Village Relocates to Umatilla

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After a considerable period of due diligence, Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter has decided to relocate its Veterans Village from Leesburg, FL to Umatilla, FL due to unsustainable project development costs for Workforce Housing for Veterans.

Habitat CEO Kent Adcock reported that a combination of increased development costs, combined with Impact Fees, have forced the affiliate to cut the size of the veteran’s project from 22 houses to 14, and to locate it to a site it has purchased in Umatilla.

Habitat has executed a purchase of The Cottages at Waters Edge, a 14 lot development in Umatilla. The main reason for the relocation is due to the high costs of infrastructure and development. Adcock says the value for the Umatilla site is considerable as it offers ‘ready to build’ lots that have pre-paid impact fees which, when combined with other development costs, amount to a total project savings of over $20,000 per house. In order to be a good steward with donor and sponsor dollars, the affiliate has elected to decrease the Villages size while at the same time reducing the cost per unit. An added benefit will be the ability to have a Veterans Park & Gardens on Lake Enola located in the Village Subdivision.

CEO Adcock praises the City of Leesburg staff and City Commission for their overwhelming support for the project. “We could not have asked for better community partners from the city of Leesburg, but in the final analysis the development costs were simply ‘outside the envelope of affordability’. We regret that Leesburg will not be the site for our project, but we want everyone to know that the Veterans Village Project will go forward on the new site in Umatilla.”

Habitat will kick off construction of the Veterans Village at The Cottages at Waters Edge on November 5th with a special community groundbreaking event at the site on Highway 19. A Bob Hope impersonator, along with the LC Swing Band will re-enact the old Bob Hope USA Show in a free community performance sponsored by Your HomeTown Habitat. Part of the event will include raising the wall on the very first home in the veteran’s village.

Related Articles:  Veterans Village Relocating to Umatilla – Daily Commercial

To learn more contact Danielle Stroud at danielle@habitatls.org.