A Letter from the CEO

INTRODUCTION A Letter from the CEO

Sam Young

PRESIDENT & CEO OF PENSACOLA HABITAT FOR HUMANITY For many, homeownership is a pipe dream—either unattainable or never contemplated. We’re changing that. At Pensacola Habitat for Humanity, we believe that homeownership is a critical key to breaking the cycle of poverty, creating wealth, building strong families, and revitalizing communities.

The tools we use stretch far beyond hammers and nails. Our team strives to empower others, lifting them up with dignity and providing them with education, support, and empowerment to attain and sustain homeownership—removing obstacles and laying the physical and socio-economic foundation for generations to come.

Since 1981, Pensacola Habitat for Humanity has been serving Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties and has provided affordable home ownership to over 1400 deserving individuals and families. Our organization has grown to the 25th largest producer out of 1100 national affiliates. We are the only Habitat affiliate in the country that has earned Charter Membership status in NeighborWorks America. We stand proud of our reputation, accomplishments, and impact; but we will not rest on our laurels.

This plan lays out a path forward for us to continue to grow and evolve as an advocate, thought leader and producer of affordable and sustainable housing. Our mindset will be to serve our community, our homebuyers, and our team members. We will be trusted stewards of our resources and strive to have the greatest possible impact across our areas of strategic focus.

The plan that follows identifies six areas of strategic focus. Each area has specific objectives that will serve as guideposts for our team to concentrate their efforts and allocate our resources. The plan is intentionally flexible. One key lesson from enduring and persisting over the last two years is the importance of an organization’s ability to pivot and adapt. We will allocate resources to, and focus on, those areas where we will have the greatest impact and provide the greatest return on our investment.

It’s amazing what four walls and a roof can do when they are created in the spirit of hope, dignity, and impact. The journey to homeownership isn’t always easy—but it’s one worth taking. We will continue our noble mission of turning houses into homes and holding steadfast to our vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live.

Leadership Dialogue Report & Strategic Planning Framework | 3