Client: 3857 Wolverine Street
Date: Thursday, March 13, 2014
Future homeowner, Jennifer, helps volunteers raise walls on her home.
There are many ways in which to pay for a house – for example, one can take on a mortgage, or pay cash for a dwelling. But how about asking the entire world for funds to construct a house? It seems complicated, right?
Maybe, maybe not and essentially that is what Habitat for Humanity Sarasota did in the spring of 2013 during the Community Foundation of Sarasota’s 36-Hour Giving Challenge. The fundraising adventure – conducted online – also helped many non-profits obtain funding for programs and projects. Habitat Sarasota’s goal was raising enough dollars to build a house.
In March 2013, more than 50 donors gave to this day-and-a-half effort. Habitat Sarasota donors from Minnesota to Florida gave in ranges from $25 to $14,000 and at the conclusion, an anonymous donor matched all of Habitat’s gifts equaling $50,000 to reach the total of $100,000 – enough to build a house for a working family in Sarasota.
“Habitat Sarasota remains in awe of how our supporters not only stepped up to the plate, but stepped up to the front doormat,” said Renee Snyder, Executive Director of Habitat Sarasota. “If there was ever a home built by community effort, it’s the house on Wolverine Street.”
Employees from Tijuana Flats.
Construction is under way on a three bedroom, two bath home on a lot which was donated by Bank of America through a special partnership program between the bank and Habitat for Humanity International, of which Habitat Sarasota is an affiliate.
“None of this would have been possible were it not for the Giving Partner Challenge and our local foundations,” said Ms. Snyder. “A great deal of gratitude has to be extended to the Community Foundation of Sarasota, along with the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, The Patterson Foundation and The William G. and Marie Selby Foundation. The excitement of the 36 hour challenge spurred our supporters to new heights.”
Volunteers from Tijuana Flats spent a Saturday morning helping with insulation, digging a trench for electrical wires and installing starter strips for shingles.
ABC Supply Company placing shingles on the roof saves our volunteers a lot of strain.
The Challenge is complete – the Melancon family celebrated the dedication of their home in December 2014. The new home was complete with a play set in the back yard, generously donated by Home Depot.
In Partnership with:
With support from:
Community Foundation of Sarasota County, The Patterson Foundation, The William G. and Marie Selby Foundation and The Gulf Coast Community Foundation