PALMETTO, Fla. — Neal Communities, southwest Florida’s premier, private homebuilder, recently made a $6,200 donation to the Trojan Reading program at the Palmetto Youth Center, a nonprofit with a mission to provide a safe and wholesome environment and establish a strong foundation of high morals and values through programs designed for academic, athletic, cultural, recreational and social proficiency.
With this generous contribution, the Palmetto Youth Center installed i-Ready software to allow staff the ability to monitor students’ reading and identify their aptitude levels in order to enhance those skills.
“We are very thankful and very grateful for the opportunity to take another step to impact the lives of children within our community,” said Reggie Bellamy, executive director for the Palmetto Youth Center. “We truly appreciate these funds from Neal Communities, which allow us to build programs that teach and mentor children to embrace their education and become positive contributors to society. This new tool will give us a clear road in identifying gains and strengthening the students in the areas that they need reading support.”
Located at 501 17th St. W. in Palmetto, the Palmetto Youth Center was founded in 1957 by a group of concerned African American leaders with a goal of providing a positive atmosphere for youth in the community. Five decades later, the nonprofit continues to build strong programs that impact character, academics and recreation.
“We have had a long history of giving to the Palmetto Youth Center and have been involved with their programs for nearly 20 years,” said Pat Neal, Neal Communities’ founder and chairman of the executive committee. “Neal Communities will soon celebrate its 50-year anniversary of building in Manatee County. We have a plan for giving, and the Palmetto Youth Center is part of that plan, which is part of our great philanthropic efforts for Manatee, Sarasota and the Gulf Coast areas. I was very pleased that the Palmetto Youth Center has reached out into the community and launched a reading program. Reading is fundamental. It’s the building block for everything in education and everything in life.”
About Neal Communities
With over 40 years of building award-winning homes, Neal Communities has over 90 successful communities throughout southwest Florida. The Lakewood Ranch-based builder was named the Professional Builder 2015 “Builder of the Year” and was named one of 2012’s “America’s Best Builders” by BUILDER Magazine and voted the “2013 Best Residential Builder in Southwest Florida” in a readers’ poll sponsored by Gulfshore Business Magazine. The company is ranked No. 1 locally by Metrostudy and by Hanley Wood Market Intelligence based on number of home sales and ranked nationally among the top 50 builders by BUILDER Magazine.
To date, Neal has built over 13,000 homes in southwest Florida. As the area’s largest and most established, locally owned and operated private builder, Neal Communities is continually striving for excellence in every aspect of the home building and development business. Neal Signature Homes, Neal Land Ventures, Charlene Neal PureStyle, Waterscapes Pools & Spas, Neal Communities Funding, Fiducia Insurance and Allegiant Title Professionals all contribute to the firm’s continued, record-setting local success. The company’s honors and accolades include numerous Parade of Homes 2015 awards, 50 Aurora Awards, 5 Best in American Living Awards and hundreds of local and regional industry awards. For more information, please visit www.NealCommunities.com.