GOOD DEEDS: Neal Communities pledges $500,000 to build housing for homeless families

Neal Communities , a top private homebuilder in Southwest Florida, has pledged $500,000 toward construction of Hope Village of Manatee, a development of Help to Home, Inc.

The 53-unit community, at 1825 30 ^th Ave. W., Bradenton, will provide temporary housing for low-income families with minor children who are homeless or threatened with homelessness. The program also provides mentoring, monitoring and case management to help the families escape the threat of homelessness.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held April 15 to celebrate the start of construction. Pat Neal, founder and chairman of Neal Communities, was among the group that ceremoniously dug the first shovels of dirt.

Neal presented a check for $210,000 to Help to Home. In addition, Neal Communities is committing $10,000 per home sold at Tideline, a boutique Neal Signature Homes community underway near Palma Sola Bay in Bradenton. With 29 homes in the community, that will bring Neal’s total donation to $500,000.

Help to Home was founded about 20 years ago by a coalition of churches that wanted to help homeless families. The program provides stable housing at below-market rent for up to two years, while requiring clients to participate in mentoring, monitoring and case management programs.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: GOOD DEEDS: Neal Communities pledges $500,000 to build housing for homeless families