On the morning of Thursday June 26, Habitat Tampa Bay Gulfside participated in Verizon’s Community Disaster Resilience Initiative Launch. President and CEO Mike Sutton was invited to join a panel of community and industry leaders to discuss the importance of disaster preparedness and community strength in the face of natural disasters.
During the panel, Mike spoke about the lasting impacts Hurricanes Helene and Milton have had on families across the Tampa Bay region. He emphasized that in times of hardship, especially when disaster strikes, it is essential for our communities to come together as one, despite any physical divides like the bay that separates our cities. 
We thank Verizon for including Habitat in this important conversation, and for their commitment to strengthening community resilience. Verizon was proudly recognized as Habitat Tampa Bay Gulfside’s exclusive Resiliency Partner for the upcoming year. As part of this partnership, Verizon has granted $250,000 to help fortify the construction of 90 Habitat homes in 2025. This funding will ensure that every Habitat homeowner this year benefits from stronger, safer, and more storm-resilient housing.
This launch event marked a powerful step forward in our shared mission to build not just homes, but security and peace of mind for families in our region. With partners like Verizon, we are building a future where hundreds of families each year can weather life’s toughest storms and with the confidence that their homes will stand strong.
We are proud to be part of this initiative and look forward to continuing this impactful work alongside Verizon and other dedicated community leaders. Together, we are building a more resilient Tampa Bay.
