Lennar San Diego raises over $90,000 to help At-Risk Individuals build new lives through construction
Staci Reidinger, HomeAid SD Board Chair and Daniel Campos, WORKS graduate and Lennar SD Associate before the Golf Tournament, Oct. 14.
Funds raised support HomeAid San Diego's WORKS construction program
Posted on Patch.com Mon, Oct 17, 2022
HomeAid San Diego, a nonprofit organization working to provide services to mitigate the homelessness crisis in San Diego County, hosted its Second Annual “Building New Lives” Charity Golf Tournament on Friday, October 14, 2022. With the help of lead sponsor Lennar, the organization raised over $90,000 to fund HomeAid San Diego’s Workforce Opportunities for Rebuilding through Knowledge and Skills (WORKS) Program.
Held at St. Mark Golf Club in San Marcos, the tournament began with a shotgun start at 11:30 a.m. All proceeds raised by sponsors and attendees will directly support HomeAid San Diego’s Workforce Development and Job Training Program, which removes barriers to employment and provides opportunities for quality, meaningful work at a livable wage. Last year, the “Building New Lives” Charity Golf Tournament exceeded its fundraising goal and raised over $60,000 for the WORKS program.
“Many individuals who have experienced homelessness need extra support to help them rebuild their lives. Our program provides that extra support to not only help them secure a job in construction but to assist them in setting up a future with a career track that provides good pay and opportunities to advance,” said HomeAid San Diego’s Executive Director Mary Lydon.
The WORKS program was developed to address the critical labor shortage in the home building industry while helping alleviate homelessness in San Diego. It provides technical construction training, education and job opportunities for at-risk youth, men, women and veterans who are experiencing homelessness, at risk of homelessness or exiting homelessness. Since its launch in March of 2022, the San Diego building community has worked closely with the program to ensure that the students are successful and that labor is readily available. The program is always looking for additional job providers from the building industry.
“Our training program is a win-win solution for individuals needing a job to rebuild their lives and the construction industry which is experiencing a shortage of workers,“ said Alan Willingham, WORKS Committee Chair and Vice President of Operations for Lennar’s San Diego Division.
The first HomeAid WORKS cohort graduated seven students in March, six of whom were then hired by the program’s Job Partners. The second cohort graduated 14 students in June and seven have been hired to date.
The WORKS program’s third cohort began training October 17.
Lennar was joined by several other event sponsors, including:
Premier Sponsor: Circle M Contractors, Inc.
Hole in One Sponsor: The Land Stewards
Lunch Sponsors: West Coast Lumber and Interior Logic Group
Beverage Cart Sponsors: Cal West General Engineering, Inc. and Suncoast Post-Tension
Post Event Social Sponsors: Terra Firma Landscape Co. and Vascan Tile, Inc.
Longest Drive Sponsors: Schilling Paradise and Royal Cabinets
Closest to the Pin Sponsors: Century West Concrete and Schilling Paradise
Hole Sponsors: Spates Fabricators; Sivadge, Inc.; Cal West General Engineering, Inc.; The Jasper Companies; Hunsaker & Associates; Ginger Masonry; Mountain Movers Engineering; Geogrid Retaining Wall Systems, Inc.; Cass Arrieta; PLP Enterprises, Inc.; A to Z Concrete, Inc.; Westlake Roofing; Thornton Steel & Iron Works, Inc.
