American Cancer Society and Habitat for Humanity Celebrate Home Dedication for Local Cancer Survivor
On Friday, October 23, the Bergmann family received the keys to their new Habitat home in Lealman, a milestone made possible through their hard work and determination, along with the support of the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer and several local and national businesses.
Earlier this month, women leaders from across the region and throughout the country united in support of affordable homeownership and the fight against breast cancer by spending two days volunteering to help build the Bergmann family’s home as part of the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Habitat Home Build. The idea for this unique partnership emerged from conversations between Mike Sutton, President & CEO of Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside, and Helen Wesley, Executive Chair of Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Tampa Bay and President & CEO of TECO Peoples Gas. Together, they envisioned an event that would bring women together through service, philanthropy, leadership, and community impact.
“We had the pleasure of having about 40 leaders come and volunteer on behalf of Making Strides and Habitat for Humanity, and we were able to raise funds for these two fantastic organizations,” said Wesley. “We were really blessed by some corporate partners who actually flew people in to come and do the build. That was how meaningful this was as an opportunity for employee engagement.”
“Amanda’s home is a powerful example of what can happen when people come together around a shared purpose,” said Sutton. “We are incredibly grateful to Helen Wesley and the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, our corporate partners, and the many women leaders who invested their time, talents, and resources to help make this dream a reality.”
Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside extends its heartfelt gratitude to the following leaders, organizations, and businesses whose generous financial contributions, volunteer service, and unwavering commitment helped make Amanda Bergmann’s dream of homeownership a reality. Their support not only helped fund the construction of the home but also demonstrated the power of community collaboration in creating lasting change for local families.
Special thanks to:
- TECO Peoples Gas: Helen Wesley, Michelle Bozman, Kandi Floyd, Krista Nelson, Julia Ponce de Leon, Alina Shaffer, Liliana Sola, Joann Wehle
- Mears Group, Inc.: Marie Boyll, Lilah Collins, Shanelle Esteves, Anne Filteau, Kailey Gonzalez
- Office of State Representative Fentrice Driskell: Fentrice Driskell, Zach Blair-Andrews, Kristin Harden, Cat Margaux, Paola Rivera-Figueroa
- Magnolia River: Jane Langley, Bailey Stanfield
- Primoris Services Corporation: Trinity Holman, Savannah Thomas
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Melissa Darusz, Ava Schlichte
- St. Petersburg College: Belinthia Berry, Dr. Tonjua Williams
- The University of Tampa: Julie Benson, Kathleen Hagerty
- PNC Bank: Jacalin Russo, Lisa Langer
- American Cancer Society: Wendy Johnson
- Tampa Bay Partnership: Sarah Burgoyne
- Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg: Kanika Tomalin
- StudioMax Design: Jennifer Ruyle
- Jennings Family Foundation: Ashley Jennings
- Tampa Bay Medical Research: Sureka Bollepalli
- Peoples Gas: Donna Bluestone
- Ernst & Young: Sarah Renna
- Tampa Electric: Heidi Whidden
Part of a Larger Mission
The Habitat Home Build expands the reach of the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Tampa Bay movement beyond its annual fundraising walk. The movement will culminate on October 24, 2026, at Raymond James Stadium, where thousands of survivors, caregivers, advocates, volunteers, and supporters will gather to raise funds and awareness in the fight against breast cancer.
Together, these events represent a powerful reminder that when communities unite around shared values, they can create meaningful change for families facing housing challenges and individuals navigating cancer diagnoses.
