In 48 days, Myrtle Dillard of Fort Myers went from a ramshackle house to brand new home that meets her needs and will provide a safe place to sleep for her, her daughter and twin granddaughters.
“It’s beautiful, it’s gorgeous! A brand-new house,” said homeowner Myrtle Dillard. “That’s something I never had before and I’m just so grateful for it.
“I didn’t know I had this many people on my side, I really didn’t.”
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The nonprofit Lee BIA Builders Care, Stevens Construction and community partners razed the dilapidated 1927 structure Dillard lived in for 33 years and replaced it with everything new. They welcomed the Dillards home on Tuesday.
Dillard’s former home, a 958-square-foot, two-bedroom, one-bathroom dwelling had fallen into disrepair. Her health concerns and the recent passing of her husband, Joseph, made the need for support critical. The home required extensive repairs and lacked accessibility features, posing serious safety risks for Dillard, who relies on wheelchair access.
“The blessing is indescribable,” said Randy Thibaut, board member and co-founder of Lee BIA Builders Care and CEO and founder of Retland Holdings. “It wasn’t our doing; God had his hand here to bring us all together for this to happen. The result is that this family, the children and the momma who were in great need are going to have a change in their lives forever.”
Stevens Construction rebuilt the family’s home at no cost, demolishing and rebuilding it in just 48 days at no cost.
The new home is 1,347 square feet with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Accessible doorways, bathroom and a wheelchair ramp ensure Myrtle Dillard can navigate her home comfortably.
Community partners and donors provided furniture, appliances, decor and household supplies. Harry Chapin Food Bank helped ensure the family’s kitchen cabinets and fridge were filled with food and essentials for their first night home.
“There’s over 48 companies, over 2,000 hours that went into the actual construction of this over the last 48 days, in addition to the several hundred hours of planning,” said Mark Stevens, president of Stevens Construction. “It’s a great example of what a community that’s dedicated and wants to give back can do and how quickly it can change lives.”
Dozens of industry partners contributed to the Dillard project through donation of labor and materials, including: American Builders Supply; Barraco & Associates; BH Flooring Studio; Bolaños Truxton, P.A.; The City of Fort Myers; Clive Daniel Home; Collins DuPont; Cougar Companies; Crowther Roofing; Ferguson; Floorcrafters; Ford Drywall; Hanlon; Honc Destruction; John’s To Go; Juniper Landscaping; Lee Designs; Liberty Aluminum; Mo Better Garage; Montgomery Cabinetry; MSI; Plumbing Solutions; Preferred Materials; Priority Marketing; Raymond Building Supply; Service Contractors; Sherwin Williams; Southern Door; SunCoast Contractors Supply; SunMAC Stone Specialists; Southwest Waste Management; Taulman Pest Control; United Mechanical; Universal Engineering; Valtex; Wilson Lighting; and York Electric.
