Students and alumni from the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee campus recently volunteered their time and labor to serve the community by helping build new homes for Habitat for Humanity in Sarasota.
Habitat for Humanity Sarasota strives to eliminate substandard housing through advocacy, education and partnership with families and individuals in need by building decent, sustainable and affordable housing for residents who contribute their own “sweat equity” to constructing their new homes. Since 1985, Habitat Sarasota has built and renovated more than 200 homes in the greater Sarasota area.
Currently, Habitat is developing the 40-home Hammock Place community in Sarasota.
On Feb. 25, student members of USF’s Gamma Iota Sigma, a professional fraternity made up of students focused on careers in risk management and insurance, as well as university staff and industry partners, stepped in to help build homes at Hammock Place. Industry partners represented on the Habitat construction site were Shepherd Insurance and Millennial Specialty Insurance. Both firms are members of the advisory board for USF’s Baldwin Risk Partners School of Management and Insurance.
“Students, industry, and staff were reminded of the value of serving – a characteristic that is analogous to the industry of risk management and insurance,” said Kristi Hoskinson, assistant vice president of strategy and campus initiatives on the Sarasota-Manatee campus.
“The RMI industry is all about serving others in their time of need,” said Madison Siefert, president of the Gamma Iota Sigma chapter at USF. “Volunteering for Habitat for Humanity with USF’s GIS members, USF Muma College of Business staff and industry partners was the perfect opportunity to serve our community.”
A month earlier, USF alums and staff members on Jan. 21 pitched in at Hammock Place, as part of a Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service event.
Members of the Sarasota-Manatee alumni chapter who donned hard hats and tool belts to help build new homes at Hammock Place were Coy Carter, Ryan Adamchak, Lauren Earl and Cheryl Fainelli. Also participating was Marrie Neumer, associate vice president of university advancement on the Sarasota-Manatee campus.
“It was a humbling experience and a day of service with fellow USF Bulls,” said Carter, chairman of the Sarasota-Manatee alumni chapter. “We were able to serve families and have fun at the same time. I’m looking forward to next year.”