After taking a year off to reimagine and refresh our Faith Build campaign, Manatee County Habitat for Humanity is thrilled to announce that the Faith Build is returning for 2026! This special project unites local faith communities around a shared mission—raising funds, volunteering, and praying together to build a safe, affordable home for a family in need. This year’s Faith Build homeowner will be Karlee, whose story of resilience and redemption reminds us all of the power of faith and second chances.
We are excited to share that St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Kirkwood Presbyterian Church, United Presbyterian Church, St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church, and Trinity Lutheran Church have already stepped forward to participate in this year’s campaign. These congregations are helping to lead the way, and we invite your church to join them in building hope here in Manatee County.
To kick off fundraising for the 2026 Faith Build, our Giving Tuesday campaign on December 2, 2025, will directly support Karlee’s future home. Giving Tuesday—the Tuesday after Thanksgiving—is a global day of generosity, and this year our goal is to raise $25,000 toward the Faith Build home. We invite local churches, faith-based groups, and individuals to come together to make an incredible impact for Karlee and her daughter, Kaylea.
Karlee’s Story: A Journey of Hope and Redemption
Karlee, a lifelong Bradenton resident, was once a star athlete and marching band member with a bright future ahead. But during her senior year of high school, a devastating leg injury—four fractures in one game—changed everything. Her recovery brought not just surgeries and rehabilitation but emotional pain that led to dependence on pain medications. Behind her smile, she struggled silently with addiction, even as she earned her dental assisting certification and started her career.
Her challenges deepened when she entered an abusive relationship and later discovered she was pregnant with her daughter, Kaylea. After facing substance use, legal struggles, and separation from her child, Karlee reached a turning point. In 2019, she entered rehab and began a long, courageous road to recovery, joining a two-year restoration program that helped her rebuild her life and renew her faith.
By 2022, Karlee had regained full custody of Kaylea and stepped into a new chapter—becoming a director at the same program that once helped her heal. Today, she is a public speaker, inspiring others who are overcoming similar challenges, and works at the Manatee County Clerk of Courts, often alongside the very judges who once presided over her cases. Those same judges are now her mentors.
Now, Karlee is preparing to take the LSAT and apply to law schools across Florida. She leads workshops at her church, continues rebuilding her credit, and dreams of a stable home where she and Kaylea can grow together. For her, homeownership through Habitat for Humanity means stability, security, and the promise of a brighter future. A Habitat home will be the foundation for Karlee and Kaylea’s continued journey forward—one built on faith, perseverance, and love.
If your church or faith group would like to get involved in our 2026 Faith Build, please contact Emily Lane at elane@manateehabitat.org or 941-748-9100 ext. 109. Together, we can build homes and hope.