By Carole Hawkins, [email protected]
The Northeast Florida Association of Realtors, in partnership with area builders, renovated a dozen efficiency apartments for homeless youths served by Daniel’s Project Prepare program.
The group raised more than $22,000 and in September, an army of 85 volunteers cleaned, painted and added new shelving, furniture and appliances to the units, which hadn’t been upgraded in more than a decade.
Members of the Northeast Florida Association of Builders’ Sales and Marketing Council helped by converting one of the apartments into a group therapy room, using furniture provided by Lennar Homes.
How volunteers felt about the project:
“This program is right in our back yard. The more I learn about Daniel, the more outstanding they seem. They truly save lives with Project Prepare, about 60 a year.” - Don Mullinax, chair of NEFAR’s Community Affairs task force.
“This group of volunteers is so kind-hearted; their sense of generosity is a bottomless pit. Even at the lowest point in the industry, we could send out an email asking for help and they would not say no.” - Francesca Swierz, vice chair of NEFAR’s Community Affairs Task Force.
“I spent some time talking with one of the girls … and she was so excited about her new room. Three weeks prior to coming to Daniel she was sleeping under an overpass on the street. I can’t even imagine what these kids go through. It breaks my heart.” - Amber Williams, marketing director at Lennar Homes.
“We don’t normally do projects in Jacksonville, but NEFAR helps us so much. It’s appropriate for us to do this for kids who are at risk. It’s a small price to pay to get them back on track.” - Bill Lazar, executive director of St. Johns Housing Partnership.
“When you see how big the problem of homelessness is, it can be so overwhelming you hardly know what to do. But you have to do something. With one step at a time of doing something, at the end of the day, you’ll find you have accomplished big things.” - Linda McMorrow, president of NEFAR.
Jim Clark, president of the Daniel Foundation, told Realtors how much their support meant.
“Except for the grace of God and people like you, these children would be abandoned. It’s because of people like you that Daniel has been around, helping children, for 130 years,” he said.