“Home is where there is security, peace and pride.”
Fredric Unterberger is a lifelong Tampa resident and a Security Supervisor at iGas, where he has worked for six years. Known for his reliability, Fredric takes pride in providing safety and stability in his role every day.
He grew up as an only child in a very close-knit home with his parents, Michelle and Simson, who moved to Tampa from Philadelphia before he was born. After 56 years of marriage, their steady partnership and support have deeply shaped Fredric’s values and the kind of secure future he hopes to build for himself.
Fredric attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. His interest in understanding people and the world around him helped guide his approach to work, decision‑making, and life’s challenges. But despite his steady career and strong foundation, the last several years have been extremely difficult as housing costs climbed at a pace that made long‑term stability feel out of reach.
The apartment Fredric rented in 2020 increased over $500 by 2024. The jump was more than his budget could sustain. With few affordable options, Fredric began alternating between temporary rentals and moving back in with his parents. While he is incredibly grateful for their support, the back‑and‑forth made it nearly impossible to feel grounded. He explored purchasing a home on his own, but between mortgage payments, insurance costs, utilities, and the unpredictability of emergencies, the financial risk was simply too great.
Still, he kept trying. And one day, almost on a whim, he decided to apply to Habitat for Humanity. He didn’t expect much from it. So when he got the call that he had been approved, Fredric was stunned. What he felt next was overwhelming relief. For Fredric, a Habitat home means having a place where he can create a life that reflects who he is. He looks forward to building routines and settling into a space that feels like his own.
