Page 6 - Boca Club News - December '20
P. 6

Page 6, Boca Club News
       Boca Happenings



      Two South Palm Beach County Families Cherish New


      “Homes for the Holidays” from Habitat for Humanity




         Continuing to build safe, affordable single-family homes   that “regardless of the curve
      for low-income, hard-working families during the COVID   balls life throws at you, you can
      months, albeit at a slower pace due to COVID-19 restrictions,   reach your goals.” Ceasar is a
      Habitat for Humanity of South Palm Beach County has   Palm Tran employee, two-time
      fulfilled two dreams of homeownership in time to usher in   cancer survivor, a single mom
      the holiday season.                               of a son, Marcus, who was
         Even the need to stay social distanced to be “together,   born with congenital disorders;
      yet apart” did not damper the exhilaration as the homes were   she is proud that after more
      blessed and keys passed to the new Habitat homebuyers,   than three years she will be
      Greta Ceasar and Reginald Moss, and their families. On hand   able to finally move out of her
      to celebrate were representatives from Habitat for Humanity   mother’s house to give her son
      of South Palm Beach County and its home sponsors, Sklar   a place he can call home.
      Furnishings and Publix Super Markets Charities who, along      Supporting the belief that
      with the Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency   affordable  housing  plays  a
      (CRA), City of Boynton Beach, partnered in the build.  critical  role  in  strong  and
         The Ceasar and Moss Habitat homes are located within   stable communities, the
      the Heart of Boynton District and the Poinciana Gardens   affiliate of the global nonprofit
      neighborhood as part of the City and CRA’s Model Block   organization,  Habitat  for
      project that, when completed, will consist of 10 new for-sale   Humanity  International,  Days before Thanksgiving, Habitat Home Sponsor Publix Super Markets Charities
      single-family homes. Three more three-bedroom, two-bath   provides  a  transformational  representatives were onsite to dedicate and celebrate the passing of the keys to the
      Habitat homes on the block are currently under construction,   “hand-up, never a hand-out”  Moss Family.
      for which the nonprofit will facilitate zero-interest mortgages   by bringing municipalities and
      for additional qualified, hard-working, low-income future   their CRAs, corporate partners
      Habitat Homebuyers.                               and people together to build
         “Everyone  involved  in  the  build,  completion  and   homes, community, and hope in
      dedication  of  these  homes  certainly  felt  exceptionally   South Palm Beach County. To
      blessed, especially as we ‘ring in’ the holiday season,” said   fulfill its mission, Habitat for
      Habitat’s CEO and President Randy Nobles. “Each Habitat   Humanity of South Palm Beach
      Partner family has its own story of struggle -- albeit health or   County depends upon volunteer
      financial – or both, and a long journey of personal setbacks   labor  and  tax-deductible
      and disappointments, but they prevailed by staying focused   donations of money, materials,
      in their resiliency to make life better for their children and   services and property.
      grandchildren. Both are first-time home buyers.”     Locally, the organization’s
         Moss has been employed in Nutritional Services at   role  focuses  on  improving
      Delray Medical Center for 18 years, was a dedicated family   housing affordability across the
      caregiver to two ailing aunts, is a single dad of five children   housing continuum in Boynton
      who is proud to be role model for his family, demonstrating   Beach, Delray Beach and Boca
                                                        Raton in four specific policy
                                                        areas: increasing supply and
                                                        preservation  of  affordable
                                                        homes,  equitably  increasing  Ushering in the holiday season, Habitat Home Sponsor Sklar Furnishings representatives
                                                        access to credit, optimizing land  were proud to share in the dedication celebration of the Ceasar family home. From left:
                                                        use for affordable homes, and  Rick Howard, Pat Howard, Linda Paton, Blake Frankovich and Greta Ceasar.
                                                        ensuring access communities
                                                        of opportunity.                                       The Ceasar Family: At the age of 14, Greta Ceasar
                                                           For more information on Habitat for Humanity of South   moved from Alabama to Delray Beach when her parents
                                                        Palm Beach County and its Future Homebuyer Program, visit   divorced.
                                                        www.habitatsouthpalmbeach.org or call (561) 819-6070.     Greta and her six siblings lived with her uncle while her
                                                           The Moss Family: Reginald Moss is a native of Delray   mother worked tirelessly to provide for her family. Greta
                                                        Beach, Florida. Reginald’s parents separated when he was   often took on the responsibility of helping her mother clean
                                                        eight years old and he lived most of his childhood with   homes after school to contribute financially. Eventually, they
                                                        his paternal grandmother. After graduating from Atlantic   saved enough money to purchase a home. Greta learned
                                                        Community  High  School,  Reginald  moved  in  with  his   early in life the importance of making sacrifices for her
                                                        maternal grandparents, where his two chronically ill aunts   family. Upon graduating from New England Tech with
                                                        were also living. Reginald took on the responsibility of   an associate degree in Science, Greta fell in love. Despite
                                                        assisting to care for them until they passed away. He learned   her family’s disapproval, she got married and followed
                                                        early in life that caring for family is a labor of love. Having a   her husband to Florence, Alabama. After facing years of
                                                        strained income and the added weight of a failing relationship,   domestic abuse, she found the courage to leave him and
                                                        Reginald could not pursue his dreams of purchasing his own   return home to her support system.
                                                        home as a young adult. Reginald was forced to continue      A few months later, Greta found out she was pregnant.
                                                        to reside in his grandparents’ home while taking on the   After a difficult labor, her son Marcus was born with several
                                                        responsibility of fatherhood.                      congenital disorders. The doctors believed Marcus wouldn’t
                                                           Reginald is now a proud father of five children: Reginald   live long, but with the continuous help of occupational and
                                                        Jr., Shanikque, Breanna, Ryan and the youngest, Reagan, who   speech therapy he was able to work through his disabilities.
                                                        currently lives with him. Reginald’s passion for helping people      In April of 2015, Greta was diagnosed with stage three
                                                        is not only evident in the way he serves his family, but also   Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. After eight months of extensive
                                                        members of his community. For more than 18 years, Reginald   treatment, the doctors found more cancer. Greta was ready
                                                        has worked in Nutritional Services at Delray Medical Center. It   to give up, but when the tests eventually came back benign
                                                        was there that Reginald befriended a Habitat homeowner who   she chose to see this as God giving her another chance.
                                                        introduced him to the program and explained how Habitat for      Greta had a new outlook on life and decided to volunteer
                                                        Humanity works with aspiring first-time homeowners while   at a local voting poll. Another volunteer encouraged her
                                                        guiding them to a more financially stable life.    to apply for a Habitat home; however, Greta doubted she
                                                           Ready and eager to stand on his own again, Reginald   would ever be accepted into the program. Reluctantly, she
                                                        applied for the program and was denied due to credit issues.   filled out an application and to her surprise she was invited
                                                        For the next year, Reginald dedicated himself to budgeting   to the future homeowner orientation.
                                                        and working hard to improve his finances, while being      Greta has worked for Palm Tran for nearly seven years
                                                        a dedicated father to all of his children. When the next   and has been saving for a home and providing for her son.
                                                        application cycle opened, he reapplied and was accepted!  Through this venture, Greta has built a loving community
                                                           Reginald is committed to paying off his mortgage and   of Habitat homeowners that continue to encourage her along
                                                        owning a home to pass on to his children. He is excited about   the way. She uses her own experiences to encourage others
                                                        mowing his own lawn and taking on future home repairs.   and she is proud of her journey. After three years, Greta is
                                                        Reginald is proud to set an example to family and friends   thrilled to finally move out of her mother’s house and give
                                                        that, regardless of the curve balls life throws at you, you can   her son a place to call home. On July 14th, she welcomed
                                                        reach your goals. Hard work, dedication, determination and   a new grandson, Malik, into their family.
                                                        faith will lead you to amazing opportunities. Reginald Moss      What a perfect time to celebrate a new addition to Greta’s
                                                        is truly a well deserving Habitat homeowner.       family!
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