Habitat for Humanity of Broward held its Spirit of Humanity Awards Reception recently in the Mary N. Porter Riverview Ballroom at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts.
During the event, the nonprofit also celebrated 35 years of building hope in Broward County. Broward County continues to place last in affordable housing and homeownership, and the gap is widening as wages fail to keep pace with rising home costs. This event builds awareness of the continuing need, and also shows people that everyone working together can make a difference.
Two hundred people attended the reception which honored five remarkable partners of Habitat Broward. Award recipients included Bank of America (Community Reinvestment Spirit of Humanity Award), Community Foundation of Broward (Workforce Housing Spirit of Humanity Award), Wadsworth Family Foundation (Spirit of Humanity Award), Marine Industries Association of South Florida (Soul of Humanity Award) and Nancy Daly (Heart of Humanity Award).
“Habitat is beyond thankful for these amazing partners,” offered Nancy Robin, CEO. “They have brought us to this historic moment in time. We have made the dream of a home come true for 430 families to date, thanks to the dedication of our honorees tonight.”
Bank of America has invested nearly $80 million with Habitat for Humanity’s global work, and more than $500,000 in Broward. Their associates have volunteered 1,000 hours to build homes in our community. They were awarded the Community Reinvestment Spirit of Humanity Award for their investment of time and financial support.
The Community Foundation of Broward helped Habitat Broward pour the foundation of its first home in 1987. Thirty years later, the Mary N. Porter Legacy Fund of the Community Foundation of Broward awarded $1 million to Habitat Broward to provide the infrastructure and pour foundations for the largest build in this affiliate’s history: A Rick Case Habitat Community in Pompano Beach, which will feature 77 homes and a community park. The Workforce Housing Spirit of Humanity Award was given to the Community Foundation of Broward in honor of its commitment to Broward, and to this historic project which will serve so many working families.
The Wadsworth Family Foundation was awarded the Spirit of Humanity Award for its philanthropy as a family. Sponsors of an earlier family’s home in Pompano Beach, Bill and Sandra Wadsworth stepped forward as the first home sponsors in A Rick Case Habitat Community. They sponsored one home in each of their four children’s names as Christmas presents to them last year. They also made a substantial gift to name a street.
The Marine Industries Association of South Florida (MIASF) was awarded the Soul of Humanity Award for its sponsorship of multiple Habitat families’ homes, such as disabled U.S. Army veteran Darryl Henderson and his family, working alongside the Hendersons on their forever home.
Nancy Daly was presented with the Heart of Humanity award. She will always be revered for taking out a second mortgage on her house in order to purchase the property where the Habitat ReStore sits today. Nancy turned the Broward Habitat ReStore into one of the most profitable Habitat ReStores in the nation. She was pivotal in getting A Rick Case Habitat Community underway. She launched and continues to lead our Women Build program and has worked on Habitat builds across the globe.
Event sponsors included JM Family Enterprises and Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood (Gold); Bank of America, Burdette Beckmann, Inc. and the Robert Taylor Family, Hudson Family Foundation, Rick Case Automotive Group and Sunshine Health (Silver); as well as BBX Capital, Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance and City Furniture (Bronze). WSVN was an in-kind media sponsor and Diana Diaz was Master of Ceremonies for the event.
