Thru the Lens: Habitat for Humanity Greater Boston celebrated 30 years at the annual American Dream Awards Breakfast

Boston, MA Habitat for Humanity Greater Boston celebrated 30 years of assisting families with limited incomes achieve “simple, decent, and affordable” homeownership at the annual American Dream Awards Breakfast, held at the Seaport Boston Hotel on May 4. The event, which raised over $280,000 for Habitat Greater Boston, honored Massachusetts attorney general Maura Healey for her contributions to the community and recognized several additional individuals who have provided invaluable service to the organization. 

“We all know how difficult it is in Greater Boston to afford to buy a home, and it’s virtually out of reach for low income families,” Lark Palermo, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Greater Boston told the gathering of over 200. “We’re celebrating the fact that not only are these families moving into homes, but they are getting the opportunity to move up into the middle class. And it’s your support of Habitat that  enables us to bridge that gap and make homeownership a reality.”

The lead sponsor, Santander Bank, was joined by a number of financial institutions including Eastern Bank, Brookline Bank, and State Street Corp. Sponsorship for the event was buoyed by several construction, design and commercial real estate firms, including “Platinum Builder” and “Golden Ladder” construction sponsors C3, Dellbrook/JKS, Nauset, Callahan, Suffolk, Tocci, and John Moriarty Associates, as well as The Architectural Team and Building Restoration Services; and CRE firms Beacon Communities, Related Beal, Barkan Management Co., and Equity Resource Investments. 

“It’s truly heartening to see the construction industry stand so squarely behind the mission of Habitat and to contribute so generously,” said Anthony Papantonis, president of Nauset Construction and a board member of Habitat for Humanity Greater Boston. 

In addition to honoring attorney general Healey, Habitat recognized former board chair (2013-2015) Suanne St. Charles, a partner at Holland & Knight for her service to the organization, specifically for her work involving complex financial and legal issues; and James Kirby, president and CEO of C3 Commercial Construction Consulting, for his generous contributions as a ten-year member of the board of directors, serving as board chair from 2011 – 2013. Habitat also recognized three individuals with the “Golden Hammer” award, Kent Christman and Doug Gesler, volunteer skilled carpenters, for lending their expertise on multiple projects, and Sam Cole, senior vice president, McCall & Almy and member of Habitat’s Family Selection Committee, for his tireless work in helping the organization locate a new space for the expansion of their ReStore facility.