CRESTVIEW — The Habitat for Humanity regulars had a challenge finding tasks for all the volunteers that arrived this week to work on a new Crestview home. Associates from the local Starbucks volunteered with associates and managers from several Okaloosa County Publix stores.
“They are virtually supplying all of the man-power,” said David Hyre, long-time volunteer and co-foreman on the Crestview home. “Those of us who are regulars on the job spend our time trying to instruct them as to how go about doing operations.”
Jackie Gouge, Publix district manager, is excited that her company sponsored Okaloosa Habitat’s 56th house. “It’s very important for our associates to feel validated when they do this, and they have a lot of fun doing it.” Gouge says she personally benefits by seeing her associates having a great time while serving their community.
Publix Supermarket Charities donated $4 million to Habitat for Humanity, directly resulting in the sponsorship of the Crestview home.
“Our associates are compassionate. They want to give back to the community,” says Tim Bryant, manager of the Crestview Publix. “Even though we’re a multi-billion dollar company, we give money back to the community to benefit those who need help the most.”
Starbucks, a company whose Crestview location also donated helping hands, shares the same community service values with their fellow site volunteers.
“You see all of our partners in a certain environment,” says Crestview Starbucks manager Erin Johnson. “To see them out of their environment and out of their comfort zone is really fun.”
Jamie Peoples, the future homeowner of the Crestview Habitat house, says that once she is in her new home she will have more time to spend with her three children.
“We’ve had a stable home for a while, but it’s expensive. And since I work two jobs they don’t see me,” says Peoples, trying to hold back tears. “That will be the biggest thing for me; being able to be home more with them.”
Having more weeks like this one, with dozens of volunteers, Peoples and her children will be in their home that much sooner.
For more information on how to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity in Okaloosa County, go to www.habitatfwb.org/volunteer.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Publix, Starbucks team up to build Crestview resident's Habitat home