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Bank Puts Up Money, Sweat For Habitat House

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By MEGAN HUSSEY

Tribune correspondent

Published: February 13, 2009

DADE CITY - Saturday was a day of firsts for East Pasco Habitat for Humanity.

For the first time, Bank of America fully funded and provided volunteer staff for an East Pasco Habitat home, one of six Habitat homes the Bank of America Charitable Foundation is sponsoring across the country as part of a $6 million commitment to Habitat for Humanity International.

The house, being built on Taylor Street in Dade City, is a first for the Stanley family of Dade City. They've never owned one.

On Saturday, Jon and Joy Stanley joined East Pasco Habitat officials and 45 Bank of America volunteers to raise the walls on their three-bedroom, one-bath, 1,150-square-foot home, the 66th Habitat has built in the east Pasco area.

"I'm so excited about owning my own home. This is a dream I had growing up in New York City in the tenements," Jon Stanley said. "We've been talking about it for some time, and when we got the phone call from Habitat telling us we were going to get that home, we just started screaming."

"We're so happy," Joy Stanley said. They have a 5-year-old daughter, Makeda. "We feel so special that these people came out to help. I have butterflies in my stomach."

Melanie Price, business support executive for the North Florida division of Bank of America, said her company chose to work with East Pasco Habitat because of its dedication and its strong business plans.

"We're funding this house end to end," she said. "In today's economic conditions, we feel it's important to help out and give back to the community."

"Bank of America is working hand in hand with us on this house," said John Finnerty, president and chief executive officer of East Pasco Habitat for Humanity. "Start to finish."

Habitat International, Finnerty says, has built 300,000 homes in 100 countries, serving 500,000 families. Florida, he said, produces the most homes of any U.S. state.

"We can't do it without you," he told the volunteers gathered for Saturday's wall-raising.

One of the volunteers was Mary Eversmann, a Bank of America teller and longtime Habitat volunteer and board member. Eversmann worked on the first East Pasco Habitat house, erected 16 years ago.

"I'm a homeowner myself, and I love to see people move into their own home when they never thought it would be possible," said Eversmann, family support chairwoman for East Pasco Habitat for Humanity.

The Stanley home is scheduled for completion in April.

"Why not shoot for a Mother's Day dedication?" Price asked with a smile.

"That's a Mother's Day present I'll never forget," Joy Stanley said.

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