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]]>“I’m honored to be a part of the life-changing work that Habitat for Humanity is doing,” she said.
Charlotte is a native of South Florida, growing up in Pleasant City, the oldest African American community in West Palm Beach. After attending Suncoast Community High School in Riviera Beach, Charlotte earned an undergrad degree in healthcare administration in college and went on to get a master’s in health law.
She has more than 30 years experience as a healthcare operations director in the nursing home industry. Today she is owner of DripBar, a wellness company in Royal Palm Beach, that specializes in IV vitamin therapy.
Charlotte also serves on the city council in Westlake, where she lives.
For her accomplishments, she was designated at one South Florida’s “Most Powerful and Influential Black Leaders in Business.”
Charlotte believes her professional work in the healthcare industry closely aligns with Habitat for Humanity’s mission to help people obtain decent, affordable shelter.
“It’s all about caring for the people in our community,” she said. “Habitat is making a big difference in the lives of families and I’m thrilled to help.”
To read more about Charlotte Leonard, click here.
Written by Steve Plamann, a dedicated Habitat for Humanity volunteer.
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]]>It’s an emotional moment when teacher Todd Williams and his students at Seminole Ridge High School deliver a new Habitat home to a local family.
“It’s just joy,” Todd said. “The families are so happy, thanking us and thanking the students. It’s very rewarding.”
Todd leads a unique educational program called the Weitz Construction Academy that builds one house every school year in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Palm Beach County.
Todd’s 120-plus students work on the house during classes at the high school, which is located in Westlake. They put together everything from the frame, flooring, and roof, to the finished interior, including electrical, plumbing, insulation, drywall, doors and windows. The students build the home in four sections, and construct the roof separately. The pieces of the house are then transported on flatbed trucks from the school to the home site. Habitat’s staff and volunteers then take over to assemble it and finish the project.
The program is a double win for the community.
Todd’s students learn high-demand construction skills that can help them land a job or an advanced educational opportunity. And a local Habitat partner family gets an affordable new home.
The Construction Academy started in 2011 and has built 11 homes so far. The students are now working on the 12th. To see photos of the completed houses, click here.
Todd starts freshman with a basic course on job safety and how to use tools. “The second half of their freshman year, they start working,” Todd said.
After spending his entire career working in construction, Todd made the switch to teaching four years ago, taking over leadership of the Academy from founder Rick Terkovich.
He finds it deeply satisfying when his graduates go on to find success in the construction industry. “Last year, I ended up having two kids go on to architecture school,” he said. “One is going to be an engineer. I had probably three or four going into electrical. A couple went into plumbing. One actually went to work for the school district as a maintenance employee.”
“If we can give them a good head start, it can make all the difference to students interested in the construction industry,” Todd said.
And their finished product can also make all the difference to a family that needs a home.
To find out more about the Weitz Construction Academy, CLICK HERE.
Written by Steve Plamann, a dedicated Habitat for Humanity volunteer.
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]]>The post Habitat homeowner Teawanna Teal succeeds as an entrepreneur while helping other women realize their dreams appeared first on Habitat for humanity.
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After becoming a Habitat homeowner, the single mom of three went on to become a college graduate, a successful entrepreneur and a tireless Habitat volunteer.
She brings a powerful message to women who want to realize the dream of owning a house. “I tell other women, ‘If I can do it, then you can do it, too,’” she said.
Before Teawanna–her friends call her Tea–applied to be a Habitat homeowner, she was trying to make ends meet by working at Publix and living in an apartment with her kids. “The rent was a little expensive, so it was hard,” she recalls.
Tea’s first application for a Habitat home was denied. But she persisted and was approved on her second try. Tea put in the required 400 sweat equity work hours and took Habitat’s homeowner education classes. She saved to pay the closing costs.
She and her children moved into their house in West Palm Beach’s Historic Northwest District in June of 2018. They lovingly refer to their home as their “mini-mansion.” The move was a gamechanger for Tea, but especially for her kids. They are 14-year-old Ja’Markis, 12-year-old Ja’Layah, 8-year-old Jordyn. Tea refers to them as the “JCrew.”
“They know they will always have a home,” she said. “We don’t have to move. We’re stable. They have a safe place.”
Beyond the shelter aspect, the home brings Tea’s children the promise of generational wealth. “I’m leaving a legacy for them, an asset for them to keep in our family,” she said.
The home also gave Tea the financial breathing room she needed to become an entrepreneur. Three years ago, she started a unique business called The TJ Spot. It is a pop-up rollerskating rink that provides fun and exercise at parties, street festivals, schools, churches, summer camps and more.
“One day I was sitting on my bed thinking, ‘What can I do to not just to make money but to bring activities here for kids?’ Because there is not enough for kids to do. Back in the day, me and my family enjoyed rollerskating, so I started researching it.”
As it happened, she knew that a local skating rink was going out of business. The owner was willing to give her all the rink’s skates. And although they were old, some mismatched or broken, it was a start.
Tea ordered a portable skate floor, invested money in new skates and slowly built the business. She went through the Mayor’s Jump Start Academy in West Palm Beach to learn the basics of business ownership. “It’s true what they say about starting a business. It starts slowly,” Tea said. After three years, however, The TJ Spot is thriving.
“It’s amazing,” she said. “We have more bookings than ever.”
After getting her Habitat Home, Tea managed another major accomplishment: She enrolled in classes at Florida Atlantic University, earning her degree in 2023. “I’m an Owl,” she says, proudly referring to the FAU mascot.
Although Tea is no longer required to do volunteer work for Habitat, she continues to put in countless hours. Women Build, in particular, holds a special place in her heart. It’s an annual event that brings women together to improve and build homes for other women.
CLICK HERE to find out more about Women Build
Tea has served as a Women Build committee member in the past and is doing so again this year.
“I remember all the women–and men, too–who helped build my house,” she recalls. “It was women coming together to support a single mom and saying, ‘Hey, you got this.’ That’s very powerful. It really changed my life.
“The encouragement I got from the women who helped me is something I’ve taken with me. It helps me to support my kids and it helps me to keep growing.
“I choose to continue to work with Habitat and on Women Build just to tell everybody how great it is.”
Tea, an eloquent and passionate speaker, regularly talks to groups on behalf of Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Palm Beach County. Twice she has traveled to Tallahassee to lobby state lawmakers to support Habitat’s mission.
Tea’s next act?
“I’m looking to start a nonprofit to provide more activities for children in my neighborhood,” she said. “They need more than what they have here.”
Tea already has a lot on her plate. But at this point, no one would be surprised if she succeeds. She’s on a roll.
SAVE THE DATE: The next Women Build is March 12 and 13, 2026. To find out more, CLICK HERE.
Written by Steve Plamann, a dedicated Habitat for Humanity volunteer.
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]]>The post I Came for the Cause, I Stayed for the Joy appeared first on Habitat for humanity.
]]>Volunteering for Habitat for Humanity brought something unexpected to Steve Plamann’s retirement.
When I retired, I had no shortage of things to do.
I was going to get into better physical shape. (Watch out fellow senior league basketball players!)
I was going to tackle a long list of home improvement projects. (The attic, unfortunately, was not going to clean itself.)
And I was going to do even more fishing and kayaking. (If that was even possible.)
After a 40-plus year career as a journalist, and with our two sons having flown the nest, I was ready for “me time.” I planned to do more things that made me happy.
But my post-work life took an unexpected turn.
While scrolling through my Instagram, I saw that Habitat for Humanity of Greater Palm Beach County was holding a “Rock the Block” event just a couple miles from my house in Delray Beach. Volunteers would descend upon a block and paint all the houses in a single day.
It seemed like a good cause. I know my way around a paint brush, and I wasn’t doing anything that Saturday morning, so I decided to sign up.
CLICK HERE to learn more about volunteering for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Palm Beach County.
I’m not sure what I expected as I pulled up to Pompey Park, where the volunteers were gathering, but it was not what I saw. This did not look like a group of people about to spend a sweaty day fixing up somebody else’s house. They were smiling, laughing and generally having a good time as they went to work. The homeowners were not only thankful, but downright giddy with joy.
I spent much of the day working alongside a fellow volunteer who introduced himself as Jeffrey. He was a young father who drove all the way from Palm Beach Gardens to volunteer.
He explained that his parents were Jamaican immigrants who got their first home through Habitat when he was a child. “If it wasn’t for that, I doubt I ever would have been able to go to college,” he said.
Jeffrey graduated from the University of Central Florida and now works in public relations. He is under no obligation whatsoever to help Habitat.
“When you’ve been helped, it makes you want to help in return,” he said.
“I hate to spend a Saturday away from my kids. That’s normally my day to be with them,” he said. “But this makes me feel good.”
I was touched by his story. And as I looked around and saw homeowners and volunteers enjoying the camaraderie of the work, I realized that new stories like Jeffrey’s were being created that very day.
That’s when I decided to continue volunteering for Habitat. At my age, I can do more good behind a keyboard than up on a ladder. So I’m helping Habitat’s marketing department.
I also discovered that “me time” is overrated. I feel best about being retired on days I spend on “we time.” When I help Habitat do something positive for the community, I get a feeling of exhilaration and satisfaction that I haven’t found anywhere else.
I came to Habitat to work for a good cause. I’m staying for the joy.
CLICK HERE to learn more about volunteering for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Palm Beach County.
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]]>The post <strong>Habitat for Humanity of Greater Palm Beach County’s Women Build 2023</strong> appeared first on Habitat for humanity.
]]>PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL (February 10, 2023) Habitat for Humanity of Greater Palm Beach County’s WOMEN BUILD 2023 will take place on March 2 and 3 in partnership with two families in Delray Beach. Co-Chaired by Clara Bennett and Sophia Eccleston, with Honorary Chair Kelly Smallridge, the affiliate’s Women Build event provides the opportunity for women to take proactive steps in serving their communities.
The mission of WOMEN BUILD is to engage women in the effort to provide safe and decent homes for families in need of affordable housing. By recruiting, educating, and inspiring women, we can transform lives in our communities. Join Habitat for Humanity of Greater Palm Beach County to build a strong foundation and a brighter future for women and their families in our community.
“As we continue to see a need for quality and affordable housing in our area, it is important to support and be involved in organizations like Habitat that provide families the resources and opportunity to afford and achieve home ownership,” said Smallridge. “To be able to participate in this event once again that builds two homes for local families is truly an honor.”
Women from all walks of life in the community join the Women Build event, and participation is easy! No construction experience is required! Each builder must donate or fundraise a minimum of $1,250. To learn more about how to put together a team, visit HabitatGreaterPBC.org or email Kristen Bardin, Director of Development, kristen.bardin@oldhabitat.s072.wptstaging.space
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]]>The post Habitat for Humanity of Palm Beach County and Habitat for Humanity of South Palm Beach County Come Together to Form Habitat for Humanity of Greater Palm Beach County appeared first on Habitat for humanity.
]]>Habitat for Humanity of Greater Palm Beach County, dedicated to building strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter, will be headquartered in Delray Beach and serve all of Palm Beach County. The newly formed Habitat affiliate is projected to build 20 homes in Palm Beach County in 2023 and now operates five Habitat ReStores in the county.
“This is an exciting time for all of us at Habitat,” said Jennifer C. Thomason, CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Palm Beach County. “To be able to become one Habitat affiliate for our community in such a unified and productive way is truly incredible. Together we will have a greater impact on our Habitat partner families, volunteers, donors, supporters, and neighbors.”
As the two well-established affiliates merge into one, the combined impact is impressive with 420 homes built, and 721 homes revitalized through A Brush With Kindness and Critical Repairs programs. Over 1,100 families and individuals have been served and that number continues to grow.
About Habitat for Humanity of Greater Palm Beach County: Habitat for Humanity Greater Palm Beach County is a 501(c)(3) organization and an affiliate of a global nonprofit, Habitat for Humanity International serving Palm Beach County. Families and individuals in need of a safe, decent, and affordable housing partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, visit habitatgreaterpbc.org
Media Contact: Cara MacVane
561.685.2342; CKMacVane@gmail.com
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