The Providence Homes’ “House for HOPE” – a 3,164-square foot, five-bedroom, three-bathroom home in River Hills Reserve valued at $395,000 – was the first project of its kind by any Florida-based homebuilder. Vendors and trade contractors involved in the construction of the HOPE house may donate time, materials and talent to keep the actual cost of the home as low as possible. Upon completion, the home is sold and the profits are donated to HOPE International.

The Providence Homes¹ "House for HOPE" ­ a 3,164-square foot, five-bedroom, three-bathroom home in River Hills Reserve valued at $395,000 ­ was the first project of its kind by any Florida-based homebuilder. All proceeds are used to grant microloans to the poor in developing countries.

The trade contractors that participated in the construction of the HOPE house included: Ray Leach Irrigation, Elegant Door and Glass, B & B Exterminating, Sizemore & Associates, JB Mathews, Color Wheel, Sears Appliances, GLS Trim, Builder’s First Source, Southern Scapes, Custom Comfort, Sawyer Gas, Munson & Bryan Electric, Canac Cabinets, Surface Crafters, Perfect Paints, Carpet Carousel/Mohawk, Reese’s Roofing, Atlantic Marble, Florida Builders Specialties, Advanced Disposal, Ranger American, Skyetec, Big D Windows, and Carolina Lumber.

“The leadership and teamwork that Providence Homes has exhibited as the first homebuilder in Florida to construct a ‘House for HOPE’ has set a new level of support and compassion to which every homebuilder in the country should aspire,” said Joel Anderson, director of development for HOPE International.

Trade contractors who volunteered their time, labor, and materials to build the House for HOPE were honored by the non-profit organization.

HOPE International is a faith-based group that provides microenterprise loans to the poor in underdeveloped countries, usually women with children who have been widowed or abandoned by war or devastation Most of the loans, generally $100 - $500, are used to help people in third world nations, start businesses and begin to rebuild their lives. Examples include selling shoes or vegetables in an open market or purchasing sheep or pigs for livestock.

Nearly all HOPE loans are repaid, averaging a 97% repayment rate. That means the same $500 loan that helped one family out of poverty this year will help another family next year and then another family the following year and so on. It's this principle that makes the "House for HOPE" program so successful, long after the home has been sold. To date, HOPE International has issued approximately $3 million in micro-loans. In addition to helping individuals and families with micro-loans, HOPE also starts Bible clubs and summer camps for thousands of children in these impoverished nations.

Providence Homes' Vice President/Chief Operations Officer Sean Junker, HOPE International's Founder Jeff Rutt, Providence Homes' President and CEO Bill Cellar, and HOPE's Director of Development Joel Andersen.

In addition to HOPE International, Providence Homes gives back to the community through numerous other faith-based, non-profit organizations. President and CEO Bill Cellar has traveled extensively throughout Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean to work on a wide range of health, youth development, nation-building, and leadership initiatives all centered around Jesus of Nazareth. Most recently, Providence Homes was honored for its contributions to the I.M. Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless.