Good Neighbor Awards

Any builder will tell you that in a family-friendly community with good schools, leading-edge arts programs, effective children's services and accessible healthcare, selling homes is easy.

That's certainly one reason northeast Florida's builders have been leaders for years in enhancing the region's quality of life through volunteerism. But there's more to the story than "doing well by doing good." Indeed, the First Coast building community has embraced a shared philosophy of helping simply for the sake of helping.

Perhaps the most high-profile example was in 2000, when the Northeast Florida Builders Association partnered with HabiJax, the local Habitat for Humanity affiliate, for a project called 101 Home Build. NEFBA and HabiJax, along with 10,000 volunteers, built 101 homes in 18 days, transforming the site of an abandoned public-housing project into a vibrant neighborhood teeming with families, many of who had never been able to purchase a home before.

"When our builders say they're going to do something, they get it done," says Ken Kuester, owner of Lumber Unlimited and coordinator of the nationally recognized effort. Kuester now chairs Builders Care, the nonprofit organization founded by NEFBA.

More recently, Builders Care joined ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition team, building a new, custom-designed home for a down-on-their-luck family in Hastings, located in rural St. Johns County. The home, which was completed in 96 hours, involved teams of designers, contractors, suppliers and hundreds of individual volunteers.

There's no question such high-profile events make a big splash. But it's what builders do on an ongoing basis—sometimes through Builders Care, sometimes on their own—that inspired Jacksonville Homebuyer to launch a recognition program called the Good Neighbor Awards.

The inaugural class of 20 Good Neighbor honorees is introduced in this issue. And it certainly wasn't difficult to find enough qualified companies. Local builders have spearheaded construction of showcase homes for an array of charities, raised funds for children's organizations, awarded scholarships to deserving students and even initiated projects to help entrepreneurs in emerging countries. And they've tirelessly participated in walk-a-thons, benefit runs and a smorgasbord of other events to benefit good works.

Indeed, virtually every major nonprofit in the region has enjoyed support from the home-building industry. In some cases, entire social or cultural programs have been underwritten by builders.

"Most people involved in the new-home industry are aware of the charitable and community efforts of area builders," says Penelope Geismar, Jacksonville Homebuyer publisher. "But many of those efforts go unrecognized by the public, and we want to change that. Builders do a lot, and they deserve to be acknowledged."

Adds builder Bryan Lendry, president of NEFBA, "When the neediest of the needy need help, there's really no better group of people to turn to than builders. We have the resources to help, and we've shown that we have the will to help."

NEFBA has for years honored a "Member of the Month" for outstanding service to the association and the community. But the 2,500-member organization—the largest builder association in the state and one of the largest in the nation—has never held a recognition program on the scale of the Good Neighbor Awards.

"Because we have so many generous builders, it's difficult to select just one member each month," says Arnold Tritt, executive vice president of NEFBA. "From financial contributions to donations of time, labor, goods and services, NEFBA members are tireless workers on behalf of the less fortunate. That's why we're so glad that Jacksonville Homebuyer has taken this initiative."

Local builders' contributions continue to make a huge impact in the community, say non-profit organizations that have benefited from their largesse. "Builders have made a tremendous difference in our ability to uplift the needy in our community, especially during the holiday season," says Major James Siler, area commander for the Salvation Army of Northeast Florida.

The Salvation Army and the I.M. Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless have been supported by Providence Homes, D.R. Horton Homes, W.G. Pitts and North Florida Builders/A Woodside Company, among others.

"Several builders and subcontractors were very involved in helping us build our shelter, doing much of the work pro bono or at cost," says Sharon Youngerman, executive director of Quigley House. "That help has been critical to our ability to provide services. Builders have an important skill base that we can't provide ourselves."

Youngerman notes that some companies have contacted the shelter and offered to hold fund raisers while others have simply answered "yes" when asked to repair storm damage or renovate thrift shop space. In addition, there are several children's charities that wouldn't exist without the help of local builders.

• The Monique Burr Foundation for Children, which aids and protects abused children, was founded in memory of LandMar executive Ed Burr's late wife and continues with the support of LandMar and other local companies.

• Safe Harbor Boys Home, a residential and vocational program for at-risk teens, has a wing staffers dubbed "the White House" because it was made possible by North Florida Builders owner Howard White and local subcontractors.

• Seamark Ranch, a home for children in state care who have no hope of being reunited with family, is taking shape on 462 acres donated by developers Chester Stokes and Hawley Smith. The project's nearly-completed boys' residence is being built by Beazer Homes.

  "Beazer helped us, and many subcontractors and suppliers gave us materials and services either pro bono or at tremendously reduced costs," says Hugh Mathews, vice chairman of the board of directors of Seamark and president of England, Timms & Miller civil engineers. "We want to take every opportunity to compliment the entire building community of Northeast Florida. They've given us a jump start. The program isn't about buildings, it's about helping kids. But without the facilities, we can't do the things we want to do."

There are many other stories of good deeds done by our award-winners, including:

• Admiral Homes' custom-designed playhouse, built and sold to benefit Hope Haven Children's Clinic.

• Classic American Homes' "Give Hope a Home" house, built and sold to benefit the Donna Hicken Foundation.

• Providence Homes' "House for Hope," built and sold to provide micro-loans to families in impoverished countries.

• Matovina & Company's $100,000 contribution toward HabiJax's Superbuild 39 project.

• Brylen Homes' role of "extreme sponsor" and coordinator of the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition project.

For many Jacksonville Homebuyer Good Neighbor Award winners, community service is part of their corporate philosophy. Here's what several winners wrote in their application packets:

• "Beazer Homes believes that good communities foster good neighborhoods. We do not shy away from helping worthy causes, and employees get involved by volunteering time during their work week to benefit others."

• "The Vintage Group does not participate in community service projects for the sole purpose of gaining recognition or winning awards. We participate in order to build, support and strengthen the communities, neighborhoods and relationships in which so many people have invested so much."

• "Brylen Homes' dedicated employee volunteers aren't afraid to roll up their sleeves and clean leaves out of gutters, weed the yard or plant and mulch flower beds. When it comes to charity work and community services, no job is too big or too small."

Below, Jacksonville Homebuyer salutes these companies and others for the outstanding work they do.

They are "good neighbors" in the truest sense.

2005 Honorees

It would be impossible to highlight all the good deeds of our Good Neighbor Award-winning companies. Many give back to the community so often and automatically that a full treatment would require an exorbitant number of pages. Consequently, we've limited the scope of the awards to only works accomplished in the calendar year 2004. Still, even an abbreviated list makes it clear that Jacksonville's builders make an incalculable contribution to the region's quality of life in all its aspects.

Admiral Homes

Admiral Homes' employees and suppliers built a stunning replica of one of the company's OakLeaf Plantation models to benefit Jacksonville-based Hope Haven Children's Clinic and Family Center, which diagnoses and treats childhood disorders such as autism and Down syndrome. The miniature home was auctioned off in November at a charitable gala. In addition, the company has been an active participant in NEFBA's Builders Care projects. "We believe strongly in giving back to the community and to charitable organizations to make a difference in people's lives," says Judy Watterson, director of sales and marketing. "It's not just about building homes. It's about building neighborhoods for families."

Beazer Homes

Beazer Homes contributed time, money and construction services to Jacksonville-based Seamark Ranch, a permanent home for abandoned and abused children. Most recently, the company completed construction of Seamark's first residence for boys between six and 16 years old. Beazer also participated in Builders Care Day, held quarterly drives for the Florida Georgia Blood Alliance and sponsored three children's baseball teams. Employees have actively participated in HabiJax, the regional affiliate of Habitat for Humanity. "At Beazer Homes we believe that it's not only our responsibility, but also our privilege to give back to the community," says Barbara Morre, division president. "We are, and will continue to be, committed to serving the communities in which we build."

Brylen Homes

Brylen Homes focuses primarily on NEFBA's Builders Care projects. Through that program, employees made home improvements for low-income and elderly homeowners, sometimes fixing problems that threatened the residents' health and safety. The company is also a sponsor of the Salvation Army's "Angel Tree" project, which distributes toys to needy children at holiday time. "Those of us in the homebuilding industry want to help improve the lives of the less fortunate," says Bryan Lendry, company president. "We've been blessed by being able to build in Northeast Florida, and we don't take the blessings we've enjoyed for granted. That's why we give back and try to make a difference wherever we can."

Classic American Homes

Classic American Homes built a 1,700-square-foot home to benefit The Donna Hicken Foundation's "Give Hope a Home" project. The home was built using mostly donated materials and labor; all profit from the sale was given to the Jacksonville-based charity, which helps low-income women battling breast cancer. Employees also helped with construction projects for HabiJax and Jacksonville-based Daniel Memorial, a residential program for troubled children. In addition, the company has been an active participant in NEFBA's Builders Care projects. Says Paul Axtell, division president: "This recognition is at the heart of our proud role in not only creating communities but giving back to those communities as well."

Chester and Lynda Stokes, Hawley and Emily Smith

Two longtime Jacksonville development companies, H. Smith Inc. and Stokes & Company, have paid civic dues in countless ways over the years. But perhaps the most generous donation during the past year was a personal one made by company founders Hawley Smith and Chester Stokes along with their spouses, Emily and Lynda. Smith and Stokes, who owned a 17,000-acre tract in Clay County near Black Creek, became acquainted with Keith Denton, who was raising funds to build a residential facility for abandoned and abused children. The project, called Seamark Ranch, would provide a permanent home for youngsters in need. Impressed with Denton, who was raised in a similar facility in Alabama, the Smith and Stokes families decided to donate 500 acres of their prime Clay County real estate to Seamark Ranch for a campus to be built. That donation, and the credibility it brought, ignited a groundswell of business community support for the project.

Engle Homes

Engle Homes encourages and supports employees' charitable interests with donations of time and money. At Thanksgiving, the company donated grocery gift certificates to the Mandarin Food Bank. At Christmas, the company collected new toys for the Toys For Tots campaign and "adopted" a family, providing gifts and household items for a single mother and her eight children. Engle also sponsored the Jacksonville Firefighters' River Rally Poker Run, which benefited the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and donated time and money to the Clay County Soup Bowl Kitchen. Engle built two HabiJax homes last year and is active in NEFBA's Builders Care. The company also sponsors children's T-ball and softball teams as well as charitable golf tournaments.

D.R. Horton

D.R. Horton took the lead in planning the William R. and Francis B. Barnett Children's Building, which is now under construction at the Jacksonville-based Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless. In addition, the company is a sponsor of the Salvation Army's "Angel Tree" project. The company participated in "Adopt a Grandma," sponsored by NEFBA's Builders Care, and spent days renovating the elderly woman's home. D.R. Horton also sponsors children's baseball teams and makes contributions to school athletic departments. "First, we take care of our own," says Andy Fremento, president of the North Florida Division. "From building homes for needy employees to providing emergency aid during a crisis, we're there to support our own. But we also help many organizations in the community."

ICI Homes

All ICI employees participate in at least one charitable building project each year. The company sponsored two homes for NEFBA's Builders Care Day and completely rebuilt one Builders Care home, which was sold as a fund raiser for the organization. ICI's team-building days, such as a recent Bowl-A-Thon, are designed to raise money for charity through team pledges. Beneficiaries have included Second Harvest Food Bank, Betty Griffin House, Toys For Tots, Kessler Mentoring and Daniel Memorial. ICI's generosity starts at the top with the company's founder, Mori Hosseini, according to Division President Don T. Wilford. "Mr. Hosseini is a well-known philanthropist in his own right," Wilford says. "So the core of our philosophy is, 'No matter how large or small your contribution is, make I your legacy that you did something to give back to your community."

Jaguar Builders

Jaguar Builders is a major supporter of Volunteers in Medicine (VIM-JAX), a group of medical professionals who provide services to uninsured and underinsured people throughout Northeast Florida. The company led a team of volunteer builders renovating a downtown Jacksonville building, which now serves as the Volunteers in Medicine clinic. In addition, the company has been an active participant in NEFBA's Builders Care projects. Company President West Westmoreland, who has been a quadriplegic for more than 22 years, has a very personal reason for his company's stance: "There was a time when I needed help and people helped me, so I've always believed that if you're in a position to help others, you should do it."

KB Home

KB Home has participated in virtually every initiative sponsored by NEFBA's Builders Care, including "Adopt a Grandma" and "Home From the Heart," as well as volunteer work days and the organization's annual bass tournament. KB also provided furniture for social service organizations such as Quigley House, Jacksonville Youth Sanctuary, City Rescue Mission and the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Last year, KB Home's employees donated more than 300 hours and $175,000 to such causes and organizations as Wolfson Children's Hospital, No More Homeless Pets, HabiJax, Clay County Habitat for Humanity, the USO, Ronald McDonald House, First Tee and the Jacksonville Human Rights Commission. "KB Home is committed to responsible corporate citizenship and helping improve the quality of life in communities where we build and work," says Vince DePorre, division president. "Our employees are our most valuable resource, and we'll continue to dedicate invaluable volunteer hours and resources to programs that make a difference."

LandMar Group

The Monique Burr Foundation, which provides funding for several programs aimed at aiding and protecting abused children, was created by LandMar president Ed Burr to honor his late wife. The company sponsors many events, including galas and golf tournaments, to fund the foundation's work. In addition, LandMar partners with agencies such as Fresh Ministries and Lutheran Social Services to conduct food drives. Says Burr: "You have to measure your success based on how many children you help. If you change the life of a child, you change the lives of generations to come—and that's important work."

Matovina & Company

Matovina & Company helped form and lead the Urban Renewal Initiative, sponsored by NEFBA's Builders Care, to promote redevelopment of neighborhoods in and around downtown Jacksonville. The company also contributed $30,000 to Builders Care's "Home From the Heart" project, during which a home is built and sold to benefit the nonprofit organization's ongoing work. Says Greg Matovina, company president: "All that we have comes from God, which makes it easy to give back what he has provided for us."

Mercedes Homes

Mercedes Homes donated 2,000 children's books for "Rally Jacksonville!," a city-sponsored early literacy initiative. Through the program, four-year-olds throughout Duval County were given a book each month, and their parents were given teaching guides. In addition, employees worked with Daniel Memorial to provide holiday food baskets for foster children and donated holiday gifts to patients at Wolfson Children's Hospital. Mercedes Homes also donated furniture to local women's shelters and, through NEFBA's Builders Care, participated in the "Adopt a Grandma" program. "If there's a need brought to our company, we'll do our best to fulfill that need as a team," says Heather Forshee, director of marketing. "Our employees are very involved in philanthropic efforts and take great pride in improving the lives of others."

North Florida Builders

North Florida Builders President Howard White has been actively involved in the Jacksonville-based Safe Harbor Boys Home, contributing funds and in-kind donations to build a large portion of the residential/vocational school's campus. White is also active in several Christian charities, including Student Leadership University and the Christian Light Foundation. North Florida Builders raised $1,200 in the American Cancer Society's "Making Strides Against Cancer" walkathon and built the 1997 American Lung Association's Health House. In addition, the company has been an active participant in NEFBA's Builders Care projects. "Give more than you get," says White. "Share your time and money with those who need help."

W.G. Pitts Company

W.G. Pitts Company, which specializes in building clubhouses and other development-related amenities, put its public-facility expertise to use by partnering with D.R. Horton Homes to build the I.M. Sulzbacher Children's Center at the Sulzbacher Homeless Center. In addition, the company has been an active participant in NEFBA's Builders Care projects.

Palencia

Palencia, a Hines' master-planned community in Clay County, made significant in-kind donations to the 2004 SunTrust/Jacksonville Symphony Designer Show House, a 10,000-square-foot home decorated by Northeast Florida designers and opened to the public as a fundraiser for the orchestra. In addition, Palencia donates school supplies for children at Daniel Memorial and has been an active participant in NEFBA's Builders Care projects. Palencia Marketing Manager Naomi Lumley has chaired NEFBA's Annual Charity Gala for several years and is active in Womenae, an organization of industry professionals who support good causes by holding fund-raising dinners at one another's homes. Says Lumley, "I just know in my heart that when you give, you get it back tenfold."

Providence Homes by Bill Cellar

Providence Homes built the 2004 House for Hope, a 3,100-square-foot home in River Hills Reserve that netted $100,000 for Hope International, a faith-based organization that provides micro-loans to people living in underdeveloped countries. In addition, the company participated in fundraising events for the Monique Burr Foundation, the United Way and the Salvation Army. Donations of money, labor and time also went to the I.M. Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless, the City Rescue Mission and various international missionary efforts. In addition, the company has been an active participant in NEFBA's Builders Care projects. Says Bill Cellar, president and CEO, "Faith, a pillar on which Providence Homes was founded, is not limited to domestic boundaries. For that reason, we aid the less fortunate on a local, national and global scale."

Richmond American

Richmond American donated $20,000 to the American Heart Association Heart Walk, and more than 50 of the company's employees walked in the event. Through NEFBA's Builders Care, the company's employees also participated in the "Adopt a Grandma" program, painting and landscaping homes for elderly owners. The grandmothers were also supplied with gift baskets and donations from a canned-food drive. Richmond American also matches up to $100 of each employee's contribution to a charity. "The satisfaction that comes from giving back to the community is our greatest reward, and ensures that our tradition of support will continue," says Amber King, marketing director.

Trident Realty Corporation

Trident Realty Corporation has focused much of its attention on projects benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The company donated $30,000 to the foundation and served as title sponsor for the 2004 Waters Edge Oceanfront Condominium Moonlight & Martinis gala, which raised another $116,000. Trident is also the event's 2005 sponsor. "We're certainly honored to be the title sponsor of the Moonlight & Martinis event again this year," says Wayne Scheiner, company president. "The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is a wonderful organization that raises awareness and much-needed funds for research, and we're working to make this year's event even more successful."

The Vintage Group

Vintage Group built Casa del Rio, the 10,000-square-foot Palencia home that served as the 2004 SunTrust/Symphony Showhouse. The company also participated in "Adopt a Grandma," sponsored by NEFBA's Builders Care, and other Builders Care initiatives. In addition, Vintage Group has made donations of time, money and materials to Quigley House, HabiJax and Dreams Come True. Says Jerry Linder, president and CEO, "The Vintage Group embraces Northeast Florida as a family, and will continue participating in a wide range of community service activities that expand horizons, support education and help the less fortunate."