Hannah Edwards, Community Outreach Coordinator for Habitat for Humanity of Key West and the Lower Florida Keys, joined Good Morning Keys on KeysTalk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about ongoing projects.
The Tropical Gala is coming up on April 4.
Edwards said, “It’s our big event of the year, and we’re very excited. It’s coming up on April 4, which is a Friday. It begins at 6pm at the Truman Little White House and it’s always such a fun event. We are not stuffy or formal at all. We have a tropical theme, and people get very creative and fun with their tropical outfits. It’s always a really fun night.”
The evening helps Habitat build a stronger, brighter future for the community.
Edwards said, “It’s all about the people in this community, and the Habitat community is so wonderful because we’re helping working families stay here in the Keys, which is so important for the functioning of our community. Our homeowners are employed in all of the fields that keep this community running. We have firefighters. We have people that work for the city and the county. We have teachers, we have school counselors, we have child care workers, we have utility workers. We have all the all the people that keep this area running, and it’s just so important for these families to be able to buy a home and put roots down here and start building generational wealth for their families. So we really believe in it.”
The gala will include crafted cocktails, gourmet dining, games and an inspiring program.
Edwards said, “Last year we did sell out, so I would encourage people to get their tickets now. We still have sponsorships available also, which is a really great way to showcase your business and your business’s commitment to the community. We have every different level of sponsorship, and the event really is nice. For the program, what we did last year, which was really nice, and we’re going to do that again this year, is we invited some of our homeowner families, and we asked each of them a question about how homeownership was affecting their families. It was just so wonderful to hear. We had one family that had been in their home for 15 years. We had a family that had been in their home for one year, and we had a family that was still working towards their home. So it was great to get all those different perspectives on what homeownership was meaning to them and how the program affected their families and everything, because people don’t realize, but it does have a lot of effects on a family. It increases the educational outcomes for the children. The kids do better in school. It helps the health of the whole family. Statistically, all members of the family, their health outcomes are better. It helps the family start building wealth so their economic outcomes are better all around. It just ends up working out in a positive way for a family.”
The roof sponsor is Gary’s Plumbing and Fire.
Edwards said, “We contract with them on some of our builds, they always do a great job, and they’re very supportive of the community. We have a great relationship with all of our local vendors. So many people do such great work here and really help us out with our mission. So we do appreciate everybody.”
Habitat is still looking for a location for their warehouse.
Edwards said, “So if you have items to donate, there is a Restore in Marathon now, and there is still the Salvation Army, but keep an eye out, everybody for a good commercial spot for us, or maybe even a piece of property that we could do mixed use development and create a Restore and housing. So everybody, keep your eyes open for us, please.”
For more information, click here: https://www.habitatlowerkeys.org/