December Newsletter

Entering the New Year

Entering the new year, we are building on the successes and momentum of the past 12 months.

In January, five newly approved families for our homeownership program will be starting their journey to achieve their dreams of a home, just as three other families will celebrate their closings and moving into their long sought dream, now a home of their own.

Our repair program will be starting five critical repair projects in January, and the permitting of a small neighborhood of 10 Habitat homes will begin.

We are honored to have you along with us on these journeys, and look forward to moving closer to a community with homes for all. Every hand, heart, and step moves us ahead.

St. Lucie Habitat receives State Farm and HFHI Grant to aid with Hurricane Ian Recovery Efforts

St. Lucie Habitat for Humanity is aiding with Hurricane Ian recovery efforts. We appreciate Habitat for Humanity International and State Farm providing us with a $7,500 grant so we could help our neighbors in Southwest Florida.

With the grant funds, items for 20 complete, ready-to-use clean up and emergency repair kits were purchased.

On December 19th, teens from the Boys & Girls of St. Lucie County – Westside Campus and two new Habitat homeowner-in-process (HIP), Jennifer Bodnarchuk and her family, as well as Kevon and Talique Cochrane teamed up with local State Farm agents: Larry Lee, Bill Knight, Christopher Melly and Lezlee A. Almendarez to assemble and package the kits so they are ready for use upon delivery.

Our ReStore truck will deliver these urgently needed kits to our Charlotte County Habitat for Humanity affiliate for distribution.

From Our St. Lucie Habitat Family to Yours: Wishing You

a Beautiful Holiday Season

We are thankful for all the support from our volunteers, supporters, donors, board of directors and vendors. With your support, St. Lucie Habitat for Humanity homeowners achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build a better life for themselves and for their families.

Holiday Schedule

Admin Office

Closed: Friday, December 23 and Monday, December 26.

Closed: Monday, January 2.

Port St. Lucie ReStore

Closed: Friday, December 23, Saturday, December 24, Sunday, December 25 and Monday, December 26.

Closed: Monday, January 2.

Fort Pierce ReStore

Closed: Friday, December 23, Saturday, December 24, Sunday, December 25, Monday, December 26 and Tuesday, December 27.

Closed: Tuesday, January 3.

A big thank you goes out to the GL Homes family for their generous donation of office furniture. GL Homes Volunteers Connects team also did some heavy lifting alongside St. Lucie Habitat’s ReStore truck drivers! They helped to move and load the furniture into our ReStore truck. Thank you, GL Homes and team. We are grateful for all you do to give back in our community and make a positive impact.

TCBA receives the 2022 National Philanthropy Day Award for

Outstanding Group Supporting Philanthropy

Raising the Roof! Hagan Family's

Home Build Continues!

Steady Progress

From the groundbreaking in October to framing the roof in December, the Hagan family’s ADA compliant home construction is making steady progress.

It is also raising the spirits of the Hagan’s knowing they are building a brighter future with a decent, safe place to live. Next year, they will have their very own home for the holidays. 

Introducing Two of our New H.I.P. Partners

Tameka Zackery and son, Dave



Through her tenacity, persistence, deep faith and vision for a better future for her son and herself, Tameka Zackery is on the path to homeownership as one of our new Homeowners-in-Process (HIP's).

Tameka is a single mother to 14-year-old Dave, who is a special needs child and two adult children. She is also a grandmother to two, one grandchild is deceased. She works full time as an electronic processer at a local credit union.

The road that led her to St. Lucie Habitat includes her life experiences with homelessness, divorce and caring for her son, Dave, who is on the Autism spectrum and has epilepsy, as well. They have had to move frequently and do not have a sense of belonging. Tameka and Dave currently live in an apartment that constantly needs repairs or mold mitigation. Sometimes the repairs get done and other times not. 

Dave’s caseworker brought St. Lucie Habitat’s Homeownership Program to the attention of Tameka during the last open application cycle. Thankful for the opportunity, she immediately applied with a sense of hope that this could be the start of a whole new life chapter.

Tameka stayed open and committed to the application process, doing what was asked. She recommends to others that may be applying for the Homeownership Program to be ready, dedicated to the process and do what is yours to do.

She can’t wait to start contributing her 300 required hours of sweat equity because it is her home and she is committed to work for it for her and her son. There is no stopping Tameka.

Tameka is looking forward to the stability of owning a new home that will give her and Dave a sense of belonging and a sense of permanency. She said “there will be less stress, more peace and something to pass on to Dave”. Having their own home will open the doors to the delivery of medical home services that are available for her son. This is not possible now.

She said there are no easy words to describe the joy and gratitude she has for being accepted as a new Homeowner-in-Process (HIP) with St. Lucie Habitat.

 Jennifer Bodnarchuk and her three sons

Jennifer Bodnarchuk’s motto in life is “never give up”. She strives to be a role model that lives by those words to her four children. With one adult child living on their own, she has three children that live with her. They are Anthony, 20-years old, Jason,18 years-old and Izayah, 6 years-old. She has had many challenges in life that these words were needed.

To support her family, she works full time as a plant operator for the Martin County School District.

After her family moved to St. Lucie County, they lived with her former mother-in-law in her home. She learned about St. Lucie Habitat from her.

When she applied to Habitat, she was by then living in an apartment with her three children. Jennifer did not get into the St. Lucie Habitat Homeownership Program at that time.

Her family found themselves being evicted from their apartment after new owners took over the management. They began living in Airbnb's because her former mother-in-law’s home had been damaged in a fire. Eventually, she was able to move back in with mother-in-law after the home was repaired. Her and her children sleep on air mattresses and a couch.

Jennifer applied to St. Lucie Habitat again. This time, she was accepted as a Homeowner-in-Process (HIP). She said, “it was a true blessing”. Jennifer noted that she feels her family will finally be at ease and not in fear of where they will live next.

Believing in working hard for what you want, her family is looking forward to completing the 300 hours of sweat equity.

She thinks that the impact of living in their own home, will bring more stability and happiness to her and her children. And that it will alleviate the stress they experience now.

Jennifer wants her children’s future to hold many positive opportunities to live a beautiful life. She wants to pass this home on to her children, so they always have a safe place to live.

By never giving up, Jennifer is now on the path to homeownership as a Homeowner-in-Process.

Anyone with questions is encouraged to call DonnaLea at 772-464-1117, ext. 104 or email DonnaLea@StLucieHabitat.org.

Our Volunteers Rock!

Teamwork is dream work! We are so thankful for our amazing volunteers. Recently, dedicated volunteers from Bank of America brought along their smiles and painting skills together with several of our HIP’s (Homeowners in Process) to give this St. Lucie Habitat home a beautiful exterior color that will warm the hearts of the soon-to-be homeowners.

Office Volunteer

When planning our St. Lucie Habitat specialty builds, we need a few volunteers to help us with that particular build, such as the Women Build. Can you lend a hand?

Click here to learn more!

Donate today to help build a safe,

decent home for the Hagan family!