Habitat Homeowner Jesenia happily accepts symbolic keys from FineMark’s Associate Vice President Vita Allan.
Two years ago, FineMark National Bank & Trust made a transformative commitment to affordable housing, pledging $1 million to Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties. Just last month, FineMark team members celebrated Jesenia’s home dedication, marking the last of six homes sponsored by their three-year pledge.
“At just 18 years young, FineMark has been partnering with Habitat pretty much since the inception of the bank,” according to FineMark Associate Vice President & Trust Relationship Manager Vita Allan. For Allan, the journey from start to finish was deeply rewarding.
“I got to be here for the wall raising, and at the time, I got to meet the new homeowner, Jesenia, and her family and everyone was out here working so hard,” Allan said. “Then to come, not even a year later, back to the same site and get to see her and her family again and the final product, is just an amazing, great, goosebump feeling.”
Although Allan described FineMark’s role in affordable housing as small in the grand scheme of things, FineMark has left a big impact. “Everyone dreams of having their own house and owning it, and to think that my dream came true is just unreal to me,” Habitat Homeowner Jesenia said.
Jesenia and her family remembered Allen and other FineMark staff members who were at her wall raising a year ago. “It feels amazing to see familiar faces,” Jesenia said. “For them to be at my first initial wall raising to the closing, it feels awesome to that that type of support that they’ll be here.”
For Allan, being a sponsor is the easiest part. “Giving the money and knowing that Habitat then really filters that right to the families who are just, like I said, working so hard,” she said. “To know that we’re a part of that is definitely rewarding, and it’s why we come back year after year to be a part of this.”
Although Jesenia’s home marks the completion of FineMark’s $1 million pledge, its commitment to affordable housing and the families it supports will persist.
“I feel successful,” Jesenia said. “I feel like my goals that I’ve dreamt for my children are finally being met, that they’ll have a stable home, and their own room, and a stable lifestyle.”
