PORT CHARLOTTE – The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office is partnering up with Habitat for Humanity to lend a helping hand around their community.
“So we’re really excited about this partnership because it benefits everybody involved,” said Katie Heck. “We have our detainees now being able to participate in home builds for habitat.”
Heck, Spokeswoman for Charlotte County Sheriff’s, says inmates participate in building homes around the county. There they learn skills by working one on one with Habitat for Humanity construction managers.
“They learn a trade, they get on the job kinda experience and the also Habitat benefits by having those extra volunteer hands,” said Heck.
The inmates lay down the foundation for the house soon after the walls come up and in matter of weeks the house is ready for a family to move in.
“Habitat for Humanity if you’re not familiar, they build these homes from the ground up. There [are] certain specific skill trades like electricians and the plumbing those are done by skilled contractors that are licensed in Charlotte County,” Heck said. “But everything else from raising the walls to putting on the roof that’s all done by volunteers.”
Heck says the partnership started in August and they are close to finishing their September home. She hopes upon release the inmates have built a connection to leave jail with a job in the future.
“It gives them again those skills that upon release they have contacts with Habitat for Humanity in case they want to apply for a home and then also the skills to maybe get a job as soon as they get released,” she said.
The program is open for both men and women but doesn’t allow for an early release for the inmates.
