In the early 1990s, Manatee and Sarasota counties were served by a single Habitat affiliate known as Manasota Habitat for Humanity. While the organization had built 26 homes by 1993, only seven were in Manatee County. Recognizing the need for a dedicated affiliate to better serve the Manatee community, Susie Walters and a group of passionate individuals took the initiative to establish what would become Manatee Habitat.
Susie, a Bradenton native and Manatee Habitat inaugural President, played a pivotal role in this transition. In late 1993, she and others gathered at a local church to discuss the formation of a new Habitat affiliate. By March 1994, they had elected a board and set the wheels in motion. On August 1, 1994, Manatee County Habitat for Humanity became the 1050th Habitat affiliate in the United States. By the end of that month, we held our first home dedication ceremony for Olga, a hard-working single mother of two who was struggling to make ends meet.
On August 28 , 1994, Susie Walters looks on as Olga and her daughters, Daphnie, 11, and Lydia, 7, take part in their dedication ceremony for their Habitat home in Palmetto, marking Manatee Habitat’s first-ever homeowner dedication.
Olga’s story is a testament to the profound impact Manatee Habitat can have on individuals and families. Olga, our first homeowner, faced numerous challenges before finding stability through Habitat. One fateful day, while juggling two jobs and raising two daughters, Olga lost her paycheck during a hectic commute.
After watching her mother’s panic-filled search for her paycheck, Daphnie, Olga’s oldest daughter, admitted that during a backseat argument with her sister, they threw the paycheck out of the car. Despite a desperate search at the gas station they parked at, the money was never found. Fearing eviction, Olga was overwhelmed with worry.
Her coworkers rallied together to help her by lending her money, but it was a minister who offered a lasting solution. He provided Olga with an application to become a Habitat homeowner. Together, they filled it out and prayed over it, and just three months later, she received the life-changing news that she had been accepted into the program. She rented her Habitat home for two years, completing 500 partnership hours, before closing on it in 1994.
Over 40 community members gathered for Olga’s dedication ceremony, filling her home with prayers and hope for a brighter future.
In the midst of Olga’s journey, the transition from Manasota Habitat for Humanity to Manatee County Habitat for Humanity was underway. Susie Walters and her team worked tirelessly to ensure the new affiliate could support families like Olga’s. “Habitat for Humanity was a family to me; they were always there for me even through my financial and health issues. Now, 30 years later, my house is paid off,” said Olga. “Thanks to Manatee Habitat, I was able to provide stability to my family, something I never had as a kid.”
Olga’s journey reflects the essence of our mission. Born in Puerto Rico and frequently moving as a child, Olga never experienced stability. After moving into her Habitat home, she was able to provide her three daughters with the security and sense of home she had always longed for. In 2012, Olga paid off her home and has been mortgage-free ever since.
After 30 years of homeownership, Olga proudly stands outside her cozy Habitat home, celebrating the stability and success she’s achieved.
“I literally cried for about a month after paying off my home. I was able to retire at 62, and I wouldn’t have been able to do that if it wasn’t for having an affordable home,” she shared.
Susie Walters’ dedication and vision, along with the support of the community, have been instrumental in shaping Manatee County Habitat for Humanity. Her commitment to helping families achieve homeownership continues to inspire us. As Susie once recalled, during the early days, she had dinner with Millard Fuller, the revered founder of the Habitat for Humanity movement. When Susie expressed concerns about the challenges faced by new homeowners, Fuller’s response was, “Then you’re picking the right families!”
As we celebrate three decades of transforming lives and building homes, we honor the legacy of those who paved the way. Manatee County Habitat for Humanity remains committed to creating a community where everyone has a decent place to live. Here’s to many more years of building hope, one home at a time.