2014 Community Service Awards
Mark Bennett, Greenebaum Enterprises
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The Home Builders Care Foundation (HBCF), the 501 (c) (3) Non-Profit Community Outreach Program affiliated with the Maryland Building Industry Association (MBIA), will announce its winners of the 2014 Community Service Awards at the association's Installation Dinner Meeting on February 18, 2015.
The awards are presented annually to individuals or organizations affiliated with the local home building industry in recognition of significant contributions to the community through unselfish efforts and dedication in support of projects that help the poor and disadvantaged in our communities. The awards will be presented by HBCF Vice-President Chris Rachuba of The Rachuba Group. The Foundation’s first service award, the Directors Award, will be presented to Jack Orrick of Linowes and Blocher LLP, a business and real estate law firm in Bethesda where he is a Partner and Chair of the firm’s Business Transactions Group. Jack’s list of accomplishments, affiliations & community involvement runs deep. He has been a long-time trusted advisor for various community housing-related organizations in Maryland and the District, and he has earned his place as a well-respected leader in his community. For the past 15 years, Mr. Orrick has generously donated his time, talents, resources and expertise to Home Builders Care and has helped guide our non-profit through exponential growth. A board member since 2000, under his counsel, we have established subsidiaries, set up public-private partnerships with several agencies, ratified construction agreements, procured government-associated funding, contracted with trades, and merged with the Building Industries Foundation. Not to mention his leadership in helping Home Builders Care earn the Seal of Excellence for nonprofit management. The Tom Sawyer Award will presented to Efficient Home LLC for their dedication and commitment to lead the extensive renovation project at the Friendship Place Welcome Center and Clinic in Washington DC. The Welcome Center is a place where the homeless can escape from the streets. It offers case management, medical and psychiatric care, housing and job placement, shower and laundry facilities, telephone and voice mail, mail services, computer lab, and food and drink. Last year it had 575 unique visitors providing thousands of medical appointments and consultations. The Center was originally built as a single family home in 1928 and consists of approximately 3000 sq. ft. Friendship Place began serving the homeless at this location around 1993. With its heavy use, the building was in serious need of extensive updates and repairs, and Efficient Home stepped up to help at a deep discount. The scope of work included replacing the entire boiler system with high-efficiency mini-splits, reconfiguring the first floor, replacing all flooring including subfloor work, and renovating the kitchen and two bathrooms. On top of that, work was completed in about two weeks to minimize the impact on client services. This is not the first time Efficient Home has helped Home Builders Care on an energy retro-fit project. In 2011, they led the energy retrofit project for Sasha Bruce Youthwork, helping save the organization over $5000 per year in energy costs. This year’s Community Builder Award will be presented to Mark Bennett, Vice-President of Development for Greenebaum Enterprises. At the firm, Mark is responsible for commercial construction and residential land development in Baltimore. Mark has over 25 years of experience and has been active in the Association for well over 20 years having always stepped up to assist, and not always for the easy volunteer jobs. Most recently, he stepped up to assist for possibly one of the biggest tasks in the Association’s foundation history - to lead the completion of the Maryland Center for Housing in Maple Lawn. Over the past two years, Mark has served as Co-President of the Building Industries Foundation. In that capacity, Mark has donated countless hours to assist with the construction of the Maryland Center for Housing building, which is owned by the Foundation and is the new Association headquarters. And it could not have been done without his help.\From the inception of the project he has played an integral part - from getting the land donated by Greenebaum to serving as an important resource throughout the process to actually taking over the full day-to-day project management of the building. And on June 16, 2015, the grand opening celebration of the building took place largely thanks to his leadership. Rent paid by the Association to the Foundation will help fund future charitable construction projects.The cooperation and dedication of the 2014 Community Service Award Winners are excellent examples of why the Home Builders Care program succeeds in enhancing the lives of the poor and homeless in our communities. We cannot do what we do without the direct contributions and efforts of key supporters like these three winners. |