Siana and her daughter celebrate a new chapter of life at their home dedication.
When Siana first learned she was pregnant with her daughter, she moved in with her mother. The home was lively but overcrowded, shared by Siana’s mother and her husband, her two brothers and several dogs.
“I was grateful for my parents’ support, but there was no space for me and my child, especially a growing child,” Siana shared.
Needing more space and stability for her and her daughter, Siana began to look for options. When a colleague told her about Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties, she decided to learn more about its Affordable Homeownership Program.
In April 2025, Siana began meeting with one of Habitat’s HUD-certified Housing Counselors to build financial stability and work toward successfully completing the program. As part of the requirements, Siana completed 300 sweat equity hours, attended more than 20 hours of homeownership education courses, and paid $2,000 in closing costs.
Like many Habitat homebuyers, Siana worked toward these requirements while juggling the responsibilities of day-to-day life. “I work a full-time job, plus a toddler is another full-time job,” Siana said. “I dedicated my weekends to complete my requirements. It’s a lot to take in, but you learn a lot.”
At her home dedication, Siana was joined not only by family and friends, but also by the very people who raised the walls on her home. “You can see they are committed to Habitat the same way I am,” Siana said of her home sponsor, Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre. A Habitat partner since 2004, it has contributed nearly $400,000 to support Habitat’s mission of building homes, communities, and hope.
Siana and her daughter celebrate their new home alongside their home sponsors.
For Habitat Board Member and Broadway Palm CEO Will Prather, raising the walls is always one of the most special moments. “Not only is it a great team building experience for my company when we all come together to raise the walls, but to see the end product and to see the impact it has on a homeowner like Siana is really meaningful,” he said.
Will has watched Southwest Florida grow for decades, witnessing its progress and its challenges. He sees housing affordability as one of the community’s biggest challenges.
“There are people who have really good jobs and want to just do the right thing for their family,” Will said. “Habitat has this ability to identify people in the community who could really use this assistance to be able to purchase a home, take care of a home, and pay a mortgage based on their job and income. It’s remarkable.”
For Will and his team, helping address local affordable housing challenges is what makes their partnership with Habitat so meaningful.
“When you raise a wall and volunteer with Habitat, you have to work as a team,” Will shared. “You build team skills. Everybody might be sore the next day, but they come in with a refreshed attitude and come in with the joy of giving back. This organization has so many ways of making a meaningful impact on people’s lives. That’s why Broadway Palm and I stay so involved with Habitat.”
Thanks to the generosity and commitment of partners like Will and Broadway Palm, families like Siana’s can finally experience the stability and independence that come with homeownership.
Habitat Board Member and Broadway Palm CEO, Will Prather, presents Siana with the symbolic key to her home.
“I imagine that at only 25 years old, this is a small, early chapter of what’s going to be a beautiful life for both you and your daughter,” Will said when presenting Siana with a symbolic house key at her home dedication.
“I feel accomplished,” Siana said. “All I’ve ever wanted is stability and this home will give me that.”
Will hopes more local businesses will discover the impact they can make through a partnership with Habitat, specifically through Florida’s Community Contribution Tax Credit Program.
“The tax credit program is an amazing way to take sales tax that you’re going to pay anyway and put it to use in a very meaningful way,” he said.
