Lee BIA Builders Care, Leadership Cape Coral partner on home improvements for Cape Coral homeowner in need

By Staff | Sep 4, 2024

Leadership Class 2024. PHOTO PROVIDED

Lee BIA Builders Care, the nonprofit charitable arm of the Lee Building Industry Association (BIA), recently partnered with the Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral for a landscaping and outdoor maintenance project to benefit a local Cape Coral family.

Twenty-four volunteers from the Chamber’s 2024 Leadership Cape Coral class, as well as the City of Cape Coral Code Enforcement Office’s Tammy Whitaker and members of Builders Care, recently gathered to complete work on Yolonda Arroyo’s home. The team of volunteers pulled weeds, mowed the lawn, created a low-maintenance garden area, pressure washed the exterior of the home and driveway, and installed a new mailbox.

Arroyo has faced a series of unimaginable challenges in recent years. In 2021, she lost her husband of 44 years to COVID-19, and soon after his passing, she received a breast cancer diagnosis. Despite these hardships, Arroyo has been raising her two grandchildren while trying to maintain her home on her own. However, the physical and emotional toll made it increasingly difficult for her to keep up with the demands of home maintenance.

A City of Cape Coral code compliance officer, Whitaker initially visited her home to address her overgrown yard and the home’s exterior discoloration. Taking the time to listen to her story and recognizing her need for help, Whitaker reached out to Builders Care on her behalf. With a mission to provide emergency construction services at no cost to needy and deserving elderly and/or disabled homeowners, and their families, who cannot obtain repairs through traditional means in Lee County, Builders Care was able to partner with the Chamber’s Leadership Cape Coral class to help alleviate Arroyo’s burden.

“It was a special day to bring our volunteers and supporters together to complete these home improvements for the Arroyo family,” said Leigh Cloud, executive director of Lee BIA Builders Care. “Projects like these are a big blessing to families in our community who are challenged with home maintenance needs, and we are thankful for community partners like the Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral to provide a helping hand.”

Geoffry Norwood, Leigh Cloud, homeowner Yolanda Arroyo and Tammy Whitaker. PHOTO PROVIDED

When the transformation was complete, Arroyo and her family were full of gratitude and happy tears. She made sure to hug every volunteer to show how thankful she was, proclaiming with pride that “this is my home!”

“Leadership Cape Coral is a 13-week program that educates participants about the components that make up Cape Coral, and for the past several years, we have partnered with Builders Care as a way to help our members learn the importance of being involved in the community,” said Donna Germain, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral. “We are so proud to be able to provide this gift to the Arroyos, and seeing this sweet family’s reaction was a truly impactful moment for us all.”

Since 2005, Builders Care has helped nearly 500 individuals and families by providing A/C repairs, wheelchair ramps, roof replacements, remodeling projects and other critical repairs that allow deserving elderly and/or disabled homeowners, and their families, to live safely and comfortably in their own homes. Projects are made possible through generous donors and community partners who provide labor and materials to bring a project into reality.

For more information about Builders Care and its mission, visit LeeBuildersCare.org.