ABC Fine Wine crew members lift spirits of Habitat partner families in Citrus Community Build Day

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A dozen crew members from ABC Fine Wine & Spirits throughout central Florida came together Thursday, May 2, to lift a helping hand and the spirits of partner families with Habitat for Humanity of Citrus County (HFHCC).

Working alongside partner families, core volunteers and HFHCC construction employees, the employees from ABC Fine Wine & Spirits joined forces to work on a pair of future Habitat homes at HFHCC’s Citrus Springs development to participate in a Community Build Day.

The dozen employees from ABC Fine Wine & Spirits contributed 58 hours of work, equating to a little more than seven days of work toward completion of two HFHCC homes.

“The mission of ABC Fine Wine & Spirits is to make everyday celebrations better in every community we serve and that includes getting out of our stores and offices to volunteer and give back,” said Sean Kelly, executive vice president of ABC Fine Wine & Spirits. “We’ve challenged our team members to find ways to lift people up in our communities and it’s a privilege to partner Habitat for Humanity and join them in building a home for a family.”

It’s partnerships such as this with civic organizations and businesses that make the pathway to home ownership come one step closer to reality, said Justin Leech, Chief Operating Officer with HFHCC.

“The ABC Fine Wine & Spirits team did a tremendous job helping to build Habitat homes and we thank them for being our partner and supporting our mission to provide attainable housing in Citrus County,” Leech said.

If your organization, civic group, church or business would like to schedule a Community Build Day, call Jeff Bryan, Marketing & Communications Manager, at 352-563-2744 or email [email protected].

Citrus County Rotary Clubs help provide additional hand up, participate in Community Build Day

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If you are building it, they will come.
Citrus County Rotarians showed up in force Saturday, April 13, at Habitat for Humanity of Citrus County’s (HFHCC) Citrus Springs development to participate in a Community Build Day.
“Personally, this was on my wish list to do a six-club project and HFHCC was a perfect fit,” said Lace Blue-McLean, assistant governor for the six Rotary Clubs in Citrus County who organized Saturday’s Community Build Day. Her own club, the Rotary Club of Inverness, has been a long-standing partner with HFHCC by donating garden houses, sprinklers and water nozzles for new homeowners for more than 15 years.
On Saturday, more than two dozen Rotarians worked alongside future HFHCC partner families and volunteers, contributing 96 hours of work, equating to two-plus weeks of work toward completion of several HFHCC homes.
“I am really excited today to have this number of Rotarians to help families toward building their homes,” said Lace Blue-McLean, assistant governor for the six Rotary Clubs in Citrus County who organized Saturday’s Community Build Day. “It’s exciting to know we are helping (Partner Families) achieve their goal of home ownership. It was great to work side-by-side with Partner Families, learning about their journeys through Habitat and its homeownership program.”
This isn’t the first time Citrus County Rotarians have teamed up with HFHCC, but it’s the first one in the post-COVID era, said Blue-McLean, who sought to bring the two organizations and its members together again to help families seeking a hand-up, not a hand out.
“We envision this to be an ongoing project between the six Rotary clubs as HFHCC expands its Citrus Springs development,” said Blue-McLean, noting five of the six Citrus County Rotary Clubs were represented Saturday. “This is a great way for Rotarians to give back to the community. Period. It’s service above self, it’s community service. HFHCC’s mission to help families obtain safe, affordable housing lines up with several of our areas of focus.”
HFHCC is so grateful that Rotarians from different clubs across Citrus County were able to come together to benefit HFHCC in building Habitat homes, said Justin Leech, HFHCC Chief Operating Officer.
“Their efforts made a significant difference in advancing the construction of our houses, which will result in our partner families being able to move into their homes sooner than anticipated and begin the next phase of their lives as homeowners with safe, decent, and affordable housing,” Leech said. ““On behalf of HFHCC, I’d like to thank our Rotarians for all of their efforts and support that they have given us both this weekend and over the years.”
If your organization, civic group, church or business would like to schedule a Community Build Day, call Jeff Bryan, communications manager, at 352-563-2744 or email [email protected].

WTC Public Safety Training Center Director David Vincent stressed the importance of having the recruits be actively engaged in the community. “It’s not only benefiting the community, but it’s benefiting individual future homeowners who are out here with them as well,” he said.

WTC police academy students trade in studies, training for Community Build Day with Habitat Citrus County

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Under sunny skies and cool temperatures Saturday, April 6, five students from Withlacoochee Technical College’s Public Safety Training Center put their studies and training aside for hammers and other tools for a Community Build Day for Habitat for Humanity of Citrus County (HFHCC) at its Habitat at Citrus Springs development.

From helping grade lots, to scraping floors to prep them for tile work to installing vinyl siding, the students led by David Vincent, public safety training ce

Denise Barber, administrative secretary for Withlacoochee Technical College’s Public Safety Training Center, helps put up siding Saturday, April 6, under the watchful eye of core volunteer Dave Powell, whose reflection can be seen in the window. Five students, along with Barber and Chief David Vincent, from Withlacoochee Technical College’s Public Safety Training Center put their studies and training for hammers and other tools for a Community Build Day for Habitat for Humanity of Citrus County (HFHCC) at its Habitat at Citrus Springs development.

nter director, and Denise Barber, administrative secretary, worked side-by-side with future Habitat homeowners and core volunteers for a glimpse into the work partner families put in toward achieving their dream of homeownership.

“We at HFHCC are honored to have our future law enforcement officers and first responders out at our jobsite to assist us in building homes for our partner families,” said Justin Leech, HFHCC Chief Operating Officer. “We know that they are undergoing intensive training and studies, and it speaks volumes about them as future community leaders to take time to put in the hard work to help us achieve our mission of providing attainable housing in our community.”

Vincent, who has worked in law enforcement in Citrus County for the past 31 years, considers it viable for recruits to understand the importance of serving their communities beyond their normal day-to-day duties. In the police academy, there are chapters about serving the communities in which they work.

“To me, community policing is a huge part of what we do in law enforcement, but it’s more than that,” said Vincent, whose been the chief of police for the Citrus County School District since 2020 after a 27-year career with the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office. “And just changing that perception, especially with our recruits, if we start engraining that in them right from the academy level and say, ‘Hey, this is a big part of whatever community it is you serve.’ Because a lot of our recruits will go out and serve other communities other than Citrus County. But this gives them a good example of what community service really looks like.

“It’s not only benefiting the community, but it’s benefiting individual future homeowners who are out here with them as well.”

Developing relationships with citizens is key in law enforcement, Vincent said.

“I think for the future, for our profession to be successful, you must be able to get out and talk to peopl

e,” he explained. “I think that’s one thing that is missing a little bit versus 30 years ago in policing, is that ability to just stop and take those few minutes to get out and talk to people more.”

This helps break down those barriers a little bit and get out of their comfort zone, Vincent said.

“You never know, in six months from now one of those recruits could be out (in Citrus Springs) patrolling this up here or maybe even tell their field training officer, ‘I was up here building these houses,’” Vincent said.

If your organization, civic group, church or business would like to schedule a Community Build Day, call Jeff Bryan, communications manager, at 352-563-2744 or email [email protected].

HFHCC hosts HFH Macedonia affiliate officials

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While the mission of Habitat for Humanity of Citrus County (HFHCC) is bring people together to build homes, neighborhoods and hope for those in Citrus County, its work extends far beyond the borders of Citrus County. 

For the past dozen years, HFHCC has partnered with Habitat for Macedonia, an international affiliate formed in 2005 in Southeastern Europe to help meet the needs of its citizens struggling with safe, affordable housing.

On Saturday, March 25, the HFHCC Board of Directors and administrative staff were honored to host Zoran Kostov, the national director for HFH Macedonia, and Dragan Malinovski, its Board chairman. HFHCC President/CEO George Rusaw provided the international visitors a tour of its Inverness ReStore as well as its Habitat at Citrus Springs development. 

Afterward, Kostov provided HFHCC’s Board of Directors, Rusaw and other administrative staff with a deep overview of HFH Macedonia’s program and the in-roads it has made over the years in its mission overseas. East Pasco and Citrus County were the first overseas trip HFH Macedonia had made post pandemic, Kostov said, noting the importance of visiting its two key financial supporters of their overseas mission.

In the past five years, HFH Macedonia has built six new multi-family apartment buildings, totaling 48 units, which house mostly young families. Each apartment is 500 square feet compared to the 200 to 300 square feet apartments they’d been living in, Kostov said. 

“That’s relatively large,” Kostov said of the living space.

Each new build or renovation focuses on providing energy efficiency, which has proven essential since their country is faced with energy insecurity because of the current conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Russia has historically been the largest provider of fuel sources, Kostov said, but because of international restrictions placed upon Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, Macedonia and other European countries have been forced to find other fuel alternatives. Residents have seen energy bills consume upward of 30% of their monthly income.

One of its best projects thus far has been the renovation of a 14-story, 112-unit apartment building. Built in 1960, HFH Macedonia rehabbed the structure in 2012. By doing so, the energy efficient measures put into place are the equivalent of one small power plant, Kostov said.

“The more we can do that,” Kostov said of establishing energy efficient measures, “the more our families can save.”

HFH Macedonia isn’t just a leader in the country for providing stable, affordable housing or energy efficiency measures. Government leaders invited HFH Macedonia to assist in writing building design and codes and national housing policy laws.

“The opportunity to see today what you’re doing is impressive,” Malinovski said. “While there’s many differences between what we’re doing, the Habitat for Humanity mission is the same: help families and people in need of decent, affordable housing.

“Your support of our efforts is unwavering and key to what we’re doing. We cannot thank you enough.”

Kostov and Malinovski had one final surprise for the HFHCC Board of Directors and especially Rusaw. In recognition of the long-time support of HFH Macedonia under Rusaw’s leadership, Malinovski informed local HFHCC officials that Rusaw had been named as an honorary board member of HFH Macedonia.

“What you are doing in Macedonia is amazing and inspirational,” Rusaw said. “We are excited to see the impact you’re having on families and your country.”

Publix Charities awards funding to Habitat Citrus 

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CRYSTAL RIVER — Habitat for Humanity of Citrus County (HFHCC) was one of 125 Habitat for Humanity affiliates throughout the Southeast chosen as a recipient of grant funding to support nonprofit housing initiatives from Publix Super Markets Charities (PSMC).

HFHCC will receive $45,000 for a partial house sponsorship in its 176-home development at Habitat at Citrus Springs. Habitat Citrus is in the second year of its endeavor in Citrus Springs. Through Dec. 8, 19 families have moved into the development.

PSMC has been a long-time, steadfast supporter of HFHCC, often providing grants for its education classes, a prerequisite for partner families to participate in while in the program.

“We are grateful for the continued support of Publix Super Markets Charities and Publix,” said George Rusaw, HFHCC president/CEO. “From grant funding to volunteerism, they’ve played an important role for our organization within the Citrus community. Their generosity enables us to continue our mission and provide solid foundations for families through homeownership.”

“Publix Super Markets Charities is proud to continue the legacy of George Jenkins by supporting Habitat for Humanity affiliates and other nonprofits focused on helping people achieve home ownership,” said PSMC Executive Director Kelly Williams-Puccio. “The funds received by HFHCC will help give families a place to call home, providing them with stability and strengthening the Citrus County community.”

HFHCC is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry that seeks to put God’s love into action by bringing people together to build homes, neighborhoods and hope. We work to eliminate substandard housing for people of all backgrounds, races and religions by providing simple, decent, affordable housing to those who have a need, ability to pay and willingness to partner. For more information, visit www.habitatcc.org or call 352-563-2744.

Capitol City Bank awards grant to HFH of Citrus County

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Capitol City Bank Vice President Business Banker Bart Bennett, vice president, left, presents a $5,000 check from the Capital City Bank Group Foundation to Christine Erick, family services director, and George Rusaw, CEO/president, for Habitat for Humanity of Citrus County. The funds will be used for Habitat’s homebuyer education and financial counseling classes.

Capitol City Bank Group Foundation recently awarded Habitat for Humanity of Citrus County with a $5,000 community grant to be used toward its homebuyer education and financial counseling classes, which pave the way for successful homeownership after they complete their journey through the HFHCC Partner Family program. There are also courses about mental health awareness, how to be a good neighbor, security and safety protocols.

Education classes are one of several ways Partner Families earn sweat equity hours toward their path to homeownership. Partner Families must also volunteer at either of the HFHCC ReStores in Crystal River and Inverness and the construction site at Habitat of Citrus Springs.

HFHCC offers a “hand up,” not a “hand out” to income-challenged families who are unable to qualify for conventional financing but are willing to work hard to improve their family’s lives.

Key initiatives include empowering partner families through education, resources and support to successfully achieve their personal, academic and professional goals; teaching the youth of future homeowner families the skills and attitudes needed to make better life choices and break the intergenerational cycle of poverty; increasing awareness and educating the community regarding issues related to the affordable housing crisis and what they can do to help.  

For information about HFHCC, call 352-563-2744 or visit www.habitatcc.org. 

Habitat for Humanity of Citrus County receives trio of grants

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Lecanto Walmart store manager Sean Gall, second from right, presents a $1,000 Walmart community grant check to Justin Leech, chief operating officer for Habitat for Humanity of Citrus County. The funds will be used for Habitat’s homebuyer education and financial counseling classes. 

Habitat for Humanity of Citrus County received three grants to be used toward its homebuyer education and financial counseling classes, which pave the way for successful homeownership after they complete their journey through the HFHCC Partner Family program. There are also courses about mental health awareness, how to be a good neighbor, security and safety protocols.

Capital City Bank, Cadence Bank and Lecanto Walmart Facility No. 5772 awarded HFHCC with $5,000, $2,500 and $1,000 grants, respectively.

Education classes are one of several ways Partner Families earn sweat equity hours toward their path to homeownership. Partner Families must also volunteer at either of the HFHCC ReStores in Crystal River and Inverness and the construction site at Habitat of Citrus Springs. 

HFHCC offers a “hand up,” not a “hand out” to income-challenged families who are unable to qualify for conventional financing but are willing to work hard to improve their family’s lives. Key initiatives include empowering partner families through education, resources and support to successfully achieve their personal, academic and professional goals; teaching the youth of future homeowner families the skills and attitudes needed to make better life choices and break the intergenerational cycle of poverty; increasing awareness and educating the community regarding issues related to the affordable housing crisis and what they can do to help.  

For information about HFHCC, call 352-563-2744 or visit www.habitatcc.org.

State Farm awards $5,000 grant to Habitat for Humanity of Citrus County

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 Habitat for Humanity Family Partner Dennis McSeaton cuts soffit for install on the exterior of his future Habitat house.

There’s a lot that goes into building a home for a Partner Family for Habitat for Humanity of Citrus County. 

We’re not just talking about the permitting process and the materials that go into constructing safe, affordable homes. There are also the sweat equity hours required of Partner Families, who must volunteer at either of the HFHCC ReStores in Crystal River and Inverness or at the construction site at Habitat of Citrus Springs. There they spend countless hours helping build homes for other Partner Family’s and themselves.

But that’s not all that’s required of Partner Family’s in the program. Each individual or family must take part in homebuyer education and financial counseling classes, which pave the way for successful homeownership after they complete their journey through the HFHCC Partner Family program. There are also courses about mental health awareness, how to be a good neighbor, security and safety protocols.

“They really go in-depth in the classes,” said 25-year-old Dennis McSeaton, a single parent of a 7-year-old daughter. “They really do a great job of preparing you about what goes into home ownership that you often might not think about it. “They prepare you for success, because they want you to be successful as a homeowner. They want you to a good neighbor.”

And like a good neighbor, State Farm is a key contributor in making those classes a reality through a $5,000 grant that helps assist with the Homebuyer Education and Financial Counseling Program. State Farm has been a long-time supporter and advocate for safe, affordable housing in communities provided by HFHCC.

“For the past 100 years, State Farm has made it our business to be a good neighbor by helping build safer, stronger and better-educated communities across the United States,” said Jose Soto, State Farm Corporate Responsibility Analyst. “We are proud to continue supporting Habitat for Humanity of Citrus County homebuyer education and financial counseling.”

HFHCC offers a “hand up,” not a “hand out” to income-challenged families who are unable to qualify for conventional financing but are willing to work hard to improve their family’s lives. Key initiatives include empowering partner families through education, resources and support to successfully achieve their personal, academic and professional goals; teaching the youth of future homeowner families the skills and attitudes needed to make better life choices and break the intergenerational cycle of poverty; increasing awareness and educating the community regarding issues related to the affordable housing crisis and what they can do to help.  

“It’s been a challenging yet rewarding experience,” said McSeaton, a local electrician. “We’re almost to the finish line. I cannot thank Habitat enough and those who support the program and those who have encouraged me along the way.”

For information about HFHCC, call 352-563-2744 or visit www.habitatcc.org.

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CONTACT:

Jeff Bryan, Habitat for Humanity of Citrus County Inc. 352-563-2744 or [email protected]

Publix Charities contribute $12,000 for partial house sponsorship

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Justin Leech, center, chief operating officer for Habitat for Humanity of Citrus County, accepts a check for $12,000 from Publix store associates Tabytha Kline, Aaron Zeron, Matthew Tanner, Ben Campbell, Richard Bradmuller, Jenni Young, Josh Williamson, Kevin Wilson, Joe Corwin and Bob Linke.

Publix Charities presented Habitat for Humanity of Citrus County Inc. with a $12,000 donation on Tuesday, June 7, which was approved by Publix Super Markets Charities Inc. for a partial Habitat house sponsorship. 

Support such as this helps Habitat continue its mission of helping local Citrus County families realize the dream of home ownership. Habitat has assisted more than 200 families and continue to work to eliminate substandard housing by providing simple, decent, affordable housing to those who have a need, ability to pay and a willingness to partner. 

For information about homeownership or Habitat in general, visit www.habitatcc.org or call 352-563-2744.

Cadence Bank awards $2,500 grant to Habitat for Humanity of Citrus County

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Dwayne Haugabrook, left, community development lender for Cadence Bank, presents a $2,500 check to George Rusaw, president/CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Citrus County. The funds will be used for Habitat’s homebuyer education and financial counseling classes. 

In an effort to assist with the many facets of building homes and home ownership, Cadence Bank recently awarded Habitat for Humanity of Citrus County with a $2,500 grant to be used toward its homebuyer education and financial counseling classes, which pave the way for successful homeownership after they complete their journey through the HFHCC Partner Family program. There are also courses about mental health awareness, how to be a good neighbor, security and safety protocols.

Education classes are one of several ways Partner Families earn sweat equity hours toward their path to homeownership. Partner Families must also volunteer at either of the HFHCC ReStores in Crystal River and Inverness and the construction site at Habitat of Citrus Springs. 

HFHCC offers a “hand up,” not a “hand out” to income-challenged families who are unable to qualify for conventional financing but are willing to work hard to improve their family’s lives. Key initiatives include empowering partner families through education, resources and support to successfully achieve their personal, academic and professional goals; teaching the youth of future homeowner families the skills and attitudes needed to make better life choices and break the intergenerational cycle of poverty; increasing awareness and educating the community regarding issues related to the affordable housing crisis and what they can do to help.  

For information about HFHCC, call 352-563-2744 or visit www.habitatcc.org.