Pan-Pacific has had the privilege of helping build and repair a number of homes in Southern California in partnership with Habitat for Humanity. Earlier this year, Pan-Pacific joined Clark Construction for the first-ever Home Builders Blitz building four homes within eleven days! Each of the four Habitat homes was adopted by a different general contractor - Clark Construction, The Gilbane Building Company, Turner Construction, and Whiting-Turner - who donated time and money to build the houses from the ground up in just two weeks. In Habitat LA’s traditional model, this project could have taken up to twelve months to complete. While the four companies are usually competitors, everyone worked together in partnership towards the excellent cause.

Employees, Tyrone Reynolds, Joe Ayala, Rudy Felix, Jacob Sanders and Mike Marchetti were a part of the project helping construct a new home for the Magdalena family. For the past eleven years, Elizabeth Magdalena and her two sons had been living in a small, one-bedroom apartment and the living arrangement grew more and more challenging as the boys became young men.

Kwaku Gyabaah, Vice President of Clark Construction, praised not only the speed, but also the safety of the entire build: not a single injury was reported during the entire two weeks. He presented the keys to the house to Elizabeth Magdaleno and her two sons.

“I am extremely grateful for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles” says Elizabeth. “Without Habitat LA, I probably would not have had the opportunity to buy a home. It is a true blessing to have programs like this that work with low-income families.”

In December, Pan-Pac team members April Seng, Mike Ritchie, Alex Ruvalcaba, Steven Raudry, Ludwig DeLeon, and Miguel Navarette joined AECOM and Habitat for Humanity to work on two homes belonging to single mothers in the Greater Los Angeles area. The team contributed plumbing work, installed a new fence and helped remove debris from the home, brightening things up just in time for the holiday season.

The houses built by Habitat for Humanity are a symbol of hope in our community and a tangible sign that the differences which divide us racially, economically and culturally can be overcome when people choose to work together. Since 1990, Habitat LA has built and renovated more than 1,400 homes locally and worldwide. Because of the dedication and support that Habitat for Humanity offers, we can continue to provide safe and affordable housing in our own backyard.