Breakfast of Champions
Supporters of Home Builders Foundation joined us October 19th for the sixth-annual Foundation Builders Breakfast to honor members of the building community who go above and beyond in their support of HBF shelter projects
Volunteer of the Year Stephanie Bliss
Volunteer of the Year was awarded to Stephanie Baird of Bliss Roofing. Baird helped with three separate roofing projects this past year alone. Project manager Chris McDowell praises her involvement “Stephanie seeks out projects to take part in, as opposed to waiting for us to ask for help.” Baird is a leader with many organizations, such as National Women in Roofing, The Western States Roofing Contractors Association, as well as HBA’s Professional Women in Building. But, she tells us she is happy to find time to help HBF. Baird says her involvement in the A Village for One build of Anisa’s Place was “life changing”, leading her to continue helping the girls served there. She has signed on to coordinate the donation of the roof when the second phase of Anisa’s Place begins next year.
(Mountainwood )
Company of the Year: Mountainwood Homes
Company of the Year honors was given to Mountainwood Homes. They served as a Builder Captain and worked on multiple HBF projects, including the recent completion of the Good Neighbor Center laundry room. “The team at Mountainwood is a pleasure to work with, they are professional, efficient and committed to making a difference in the community,” says Brenda Ketah, HBF Executive Director. Wood is an involved member of HBF and HBA, as well as a long list of industry organizations. When receiving his award, Wood said HBF gives his company a chance to give back to the community, “We get to leverage the building industry to help others out.” In September, 40 Mountainwood employees volunteered at Project Homeless Connect Washington County. Wood says “We were digging blackberries, painting, we were getting dirty. Out of all the things we’ve done, that was one of the best. I got more comments from our team that said hey-when can we do it again.”
Kim Marshall Gordon Project Homeless Connect
Mountainwood Team
HBF invited Project Homeless Connect to the breakfast to demonstrate how HBF projects impact a nonprofit. Executive Director Kim Marshall Gordon says what has been done is “very exciting.” Nearly 65 people a day come into their facility each day, where they receive help finding housing, eat meals, take a shower, and wash their clothes.
HBF’s Chris McDowell coordinated Mountainwood’s employee work day, and two additional volunteer workdays at the facility. Lennar Portland and the young adult program Tivnu helped with fencing, landscaping, and interior painting. Gordon told the crowd HBF the improvements allows them to do the work they do in a better way. “The connections the Home Builders Foundation has with all of you, and the work you do on a daily basis that you can bring to help us for those who are sleeping on our streets is really incredible. We cannot thank you enough!” HBF is working on plans to add more bathrooms to the facility, which only has one, much-needed kitchen upgrades, a roof replacement and the addition of an ADA ramp.
In closing, Event Sponsor Delap LLP’s Joe Seifert praised the Foundation’s work, and challenged the crowd to support our projects by offering a $,000 match for all donations given to the foundation. As our award winners expressed, helping HBF can bring rewards to the giver as well. If you’d like to participate in HBF’s fundraising, contact Kyle Ellerbe at Kylee@hbapdx.org, or to volunteer time or materials to a shelter project, contact Chris McDowell at Chrism@hbapdx.org.