Builders Care - Rebuilding The American Dream

For many, Builders Care is their last hope to maintain any quality of life at home. Builders Care specializes in making homes handicapped-accessible, repairing roofs, siding and leaks, painting, making general repairs, and installing heating and air conditioning.

Since beginning operations in 2001 Builders Care has helped hundreds of people living in some of the most unimaginable and deplorable conditions. The ultimate goal of Builders Care is to lessen substandard housing belonging to those who have no other way of repairing their homes. For many, their dream of homeownership has become a nightmare from which there is no awakening.

We have repaired more than 600 houses since 2001. But the work of Builders Care has just begun. There are an estimated 45,000 substandard houses in Northeast Florida in desperate need of repair. These suffering people deserve to live better and you can get personally involved by volunteering as an individual or with your company, civic group or church. Volunteers meet in the parking lot at Alltel Stadium at 7:30 am on the third Saturday of every month. Of course you can also donate money to this very worthwhile cause.

Financial Information:

Funding comes from state programs, grants, fund-raisers and most imporantly, donations from caring folks like YOU.

Goals:

• To be a safety net for the most indigent elderly and disabled people by correcting their emergency repairs in minimal time.
• To increase public awareness and support for those living in substandard conditions.

Important Notes:

• Founded by NEFBA October 1, 2001, from October 1, 2001 to December 1, 2004 Builders Care has renovated over 600 houses and provided $6.5 million worth of fair market value construction at no charge to Jacksonville's neediest.
• As of January 2005, Builders Care has had over 5,000 volunteers.
• Because Builders Care functions as a construction company as well as a charity, we give very good value for the donated labor and resources leveraging private and public donations further than ever thought possible.
• Every third Saturday of the month is a volunteer workday. Volunteers and Builders Care staff meet at Alltel Stadium at 7:30 a.m. (east parking lot).
• Builders Care is a charitable arm of the Northeast Florida Builders Association (NEFBA). NEFBA consists of 1,600 construction trade members representing more than 50,000 employees
• Builders Care coordinates with various organizations to find the most needy people in Jacksonville. This includes City Council members, Disabled Services, Legal Aid, Urban Jax., the Independent Living Resource Center, City Code Enforcement, and Meals on Wheels.
• There are approximately 40,000 substandard houses in Jacksonville and many of these people are elderly or disabled. Typically, their only source of income is social security and if the loss of a spouse was suffered, the income has been cut in half. This barely leaves money to cover food and medicine with no money left over for necessary home maintenance or repairs. Typically, these people sit in silence out of fear they will be forced out of their home because it is unsafe. However, their home has been their security for many years. Builders Care helps keep them in their homes where they can be safe, warm, and have a sense of renewed pride.
• Our seniors desire to remain independent throughout their life. A renewed sense of security and independence accompanies a home that is safe and warm.
• Builders Care recently started a new division of purchasing abandoned houses that are boarded up, renovating these houses, and getting low-income families in the homes. Partial funding for this is made available by the City of Jacksonville Community Development Block Grant program.

Awards Include:

• 2004 - Bill Soforenko Affordable Housing Award (NEFBA)
• 2004 - Accessible Housing Award (City of Jacksonville Human Rights Commission)
• 2003 - Resolution of Accommodation (by Jacksonville City Council)
• 2003 - Regional Award for Excellence in Leadership for Affordable Housing (Northeast Florida Regional Planning Council)
• 2003 - Award of Distinction awarded by City of Jacksonville (JaxPride)
• 2002 - National Housing Endowment - Home Builders Care Project of the Year Award (National Association of Home Builders)