Giving Tuesday Funds To Put Roof Over Heads Of Tampa Widow's Family

TAMPA, FL — This Giving Tuesday, Habitat for Humanity of Hillsborough County is rallying support to help a local family on their journey to homeownership.

The nonprofit is looking to fundraise nearly $13,000 in a single day for a roof that will outfit a new construction home for Tampa resident Teresa Davila and her family. Giving Tuesday, a global generosity movement created in 2012, takes place on Nov. 29.

“We connected with The Davila Family and were touched by their story of endurance,” said Tina Forcier, CEO at Habitat for Humanity of Hillsborough County. “Their dream of owning a home is like so many others in our community, and we’re excited to #RaiseTheRoof for their family as part of our homeownership program.”

Davila, who works full time as a cook and cashier at the Goldring Cafe in Tampa, put her homeownership dreams on hold following her husband’s death in 2015. The couple had been raising two children and six grandchildren in a small three-bedroom home where the rent increased more than 57 percent. Median rent in Tampa has increased by $150 over the last year, with the median cost hovering around $2,300.

A Christmas wish by one of Davila’s granddaughters, Taraj, connected the family to Habitat Hillsborough.

“My granddaughter sees how hard I work and how I have been trying to improve my credit score to one day get us a home,” Davila said. “She attends a Tampa Housing after-school program, where one day her counselor asked her what she wanted for Christmas. She melted his heart when she said she wanted a home for her mom and family.”

The official “roof raiser” signals the start of construction on the Davila Family home slated to begin in January. The site will be a project for Habitat Hillsborough’s upcoming Tampa Bay Real Estate Build, where the nonprofit partners with local real estate professionals who volunteer to build affordable homes for families with limited income.

The six-bedroom, 2 ½-bathroom single-family home will be built in Tampa.

“This is just a huge blessing that we will be able to own our own home,” Davila said. “When I die, it’ll be passed on to the children, and that’s the beauty of it.”

Greater Tampa Realtors will match contributions made to Habitat Hillsborough on Giving Tuesday. Online donations can be made here.