Cherelle L. Parker is Philadelphia’s 100th Mayor and the first woman to hold the office. She has been an advocate of affordable housing initiatives in our city and says we need “all hands on deck” to ensure access to opportunity for all and to make Philadelphia the safest, cleanest, greenest big city in America.

Thank you to our committee members for working alongside the Habitat Philly staff to make our 15th Anniversary Luncheon a smashing success!

Sponsorship Committee

Jim Paterno, Co-Chair
John Gaghan, Co-Chair

Table Captain Committee

Launia Terry, Chair

Committee Members
Nikki Bagby
Stephen Briggs
Phil Butler
Dan Curran
Danielle DiLeo Kim
Ellen Farber
Karen Flynn
Sharon Gallagher
Bill Harvey
Paralee Knight
Eric Lintner
Corinne O'Connell
George O'Connell
Kathleen O'Connell
Maureen O'Connell
Ryan Poole 
Katie Poole
Mo Rushdy
James Sanders
Janice Wong

To discuss sponsorship opportunities for the 2024 Building Hope Luncheon, please contact Deidra Duncan at deidrad@habitatphiladelphia.org.

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Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia is thrilled to announce that Firstrust Bank will be honored with the inaugural Carter Builder Achievement Award.

The award, named in honor of two of Habitat for Humanity’s most stalwart champions — former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter — has been created to recognize key partners who embody the true spirit of service, care and community that defined the Carters’ legacy.

“It will be my great pleasure to present Firstrust Bank with the inaugural Carter Builder Achievement Award at this year’s Building Hope Luncheon,” said Corinne O’Connell, CEO of Habitat Philadelphia. “Like the Carters, Tim Abell and his team have repeatedly demonstrated their commitment to work alongside our neighbors, invest in building community and empower families through homeownership.”

Firstrust Bank, the largest family-owned bank in Philadelphia, has been serving the financial needs of the community for 90 years. Their relationship with Habitat Philadelphia dates back to 2019, when the organization needed an infusion of capital to propel its new home construction projects.

Since then, Firstrust has partnered with Habitat to support the Oxford Green, Diamond Park and Coltrane Commons developments with financial and human resources, volunteering at build sites to literally frame the future for first-time homebuyers.

They likewise supported the planning and grand opening of the Allegheny Avenue ReStore, showing again their willingness to play an active role in growing the capacity and sustainability of Habitat Philadelphia’s programs, bringing us all closer to reaching our vision of a city where everyone has a decent place to live.

Jonathan Ellensworth, Vice President, Relationship Manager at Firstrust and Habitat Philadelphia Board Member, expressed the bank’s gratitude for this special recognition.

“To be recognized in the likeness of the Carters, whose unwavering dedication to serving and fostering community has made undeniable impact, is truly an honor for Firstrust,” said Ellensworth. “Our collaboration with Habitat has been pivotal in driving Firstrust’s mission of cultivating prosperity for our community. As a board member, I’m privileged to see firsthand the impact of our joint efforts, laying foundations for homes and hope across Philadelphia.”

Thanks to longstanding partnerships with organizations like Firstrust Bank, Habitat Philadelphia can continue to build strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter, transforming lives and our city through safe, affordable homes. We look forward to celebrating alongside them at the Luncheon on May 2.

Each year, Habitat Philadelphia presents the Patrick Monaghan Good Neighbor Award to a Habitat champion who has displayed their unwavering commitment to our mission of building and repairing more homes alongside families in our city. We are excited to announce that the 2024 Patrick Monaghan Good Neighbor Award goes to Jerry Kreider!

Jerry has supported Habitat homeowners in Philadelphia for nearly 25 years. He first became engaged with the West Philadelphia affiliate in the late 1990s through his involvement with Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, a longtime partner that was supporting the construction of new homes on Stiles Street at the time.  

After joining the West Philadelphia board, Jerry was soon tasked with overseeing the merger of the four local Habitat affiliates, becoming a founding member of the new Habitat Philadelphia Board of Directors in 2003. He served the Board for six years as Secretary while also leading the Human Resources and Resource Development Committees.  

An architect by profession, Jerry later served as the Board Alumni Advocate and continues to contribute to Habitat Philadelphia's strategic fundraising initiatives. He and his wife, Kathleen, are celebrating 50 years on the Main Line and remain active in their church.

We are truly honored to commemorate Jerry Kreider's remarkable legacy of impact, especially as we mark the 15th milestone year of our signature event. Join us on Thursday, May 2, as we delve into Jerry's extraordinary partnership and proudly present him with the 2024 Good Neighbor Award during this special in-person celebration.

Philadelphia Marriott Downtown – Valet Only: 1201 Market St. (Entrance on Filbert St.)

Parkway Corp Garage – 24hr Self-Parking: 1201 Filbert St. (access from Filbert, 13th, and 12th Streets)

Five Star Parking Lot – 24hr Self-Parking: 1301 Market St. (corner of Market and 13th St., across from the Marriott.

View more information on parking options.