Above: Knight Foundation staff

Forty-five Knight Foundation employees and family members recently dedicated a day to hammering and fellowship to celebrate National Philanthropy Day with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Miami.

The Nov. 15 project took place in Miami’s Liberty City neighborhood, where the group divided into two teams that worked on two houses. Teams painted interiors, planted trees and shrubs, nailed roofing into place, insulated walls and cleaned up the job sites. Rain sprinkled down but it didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits; we completed our tasks, and everyone enjoyed a special day.

Mario Artecona, CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Miami, said they were “honored and delighted to have Team Knight working with us. Although our organization’s missions appear to be so different, they really are not. We are both committed to building better and stronger communities. I hope this team build will be the foundation for a meaningful and lasting relationship.”

The Knight team, which included staff members from all of the foundation’s program areas and President Alberto Ibargüen, worked alongside future Habitat homeowners, who were earning sweat equity hours as part of their contribution to becoming eligible for Habitat housing. 

Habitat for Humanity provides low-income families with affordable homeownership opportunities. The program builds and renovates homes, and families purchase them at cost with a no-interest loan, Artecona said. It also engages the community by providing volunteer and financial support opportunities, he said.

Matt Haggman, Knight Foundation’s Miami program director, was among members of the team who spent the day on a roof with hammers in hand.

“This was a special day as the entire Knight office—including people whose work is not focused on Miami—could come together and engage in hands-on change in the foundation’s hometown.”

You can learn more about how Habitat is working in your community by attending a local event, volunteering or shopping at a ReStore for surplus and recycled building materials.

Lauren Rothstein, assistant at Knight Foundation, and organizer of the recent Knight team build