YOUR GOOD NEIGHBORS

By Theresa Swanson

As we enter the holiday season, it seemed to be a perfect time to reflect on acts of giving back. My favorite feature in this issue shares just a few of the many instances of local charitable giving by local homebuilders and their teams. 

There are the obvious beneficiaries, such as Habitat for Humanity, where the skills and labor of the building industry are a natural fit. And there’s the House of Hugs, where one caring company, Silliman CitySide Homes, built a custom home and donated all the profits to local charities. 

Then there’s the Greater Orlando Builders Association Foundation. Full disclosure: I’ve been a trustee of the GOBA Foundation for nearly 20 years, and will be its president next year. 

For decades, the GOBA Foundation has sought little-known and often underfunded children’s charities to support. We’re helping bring an arts education program to at-risk teens through the Jeremiah Project. We’re aiding children in need of grief counseling through New Hope for Kids, and we’re offering disabled children an opportunity to attend Camp Thunderbird.

We’re also helping Elevate Orlando extend its mentoring reach to underserved high schoolers, and providing funding for Osceola County’s guardian ad litem program through Voices for Osceola’s Children.   

In addition to supporting charities, our members enjoy community outreach efforts. Most recently, I attended a back-to-school event at the Eatonville Boys and Girls Club, where I honestly can’t say who benefited the most, the children or us. 

You see we’re more than just homebuilders — we’re community builders, and we’re your good neighbors.