Author: Jasmine

Neal Communities, Southwest Florida’s largest local private home builder, has sponsored a series of Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium’s recent programs to assist with world-class research, conservation of the area’s natural resources and promotion of science education.

Neal Communities was a $1,500 sponsor of Mote Marine’s Farm to Fillet luncheon on Feb. 12 at Mote’s Aquaculture Park. Neal Communities also will be a $2,000 sponsor of Mote Marine’s Party on the Pass on March 11 in Mote Marine’s courtyard and a $1,000 sponsor of Mote Marine’s Seasonal Tasting event on April 12 at Nathan Benderson Park. In October of last year, Neal Communities was a $6,000 sponsor of Mote Marine’s signature gala, Oceanic Evening.

In total, Neal Communities has provided Mote Marine $9,000 since October to help support research programs that focus on the understanding of manatees, sea turtles, sharks and coral reefs and on conservation and restoration efforts of those species and their ecosystems.

“We care about protecting and preserving the natural resources both on land and in our oceans,” said Pat Neal, founder and chairman of Neal Communities. “Mote Marine is doing wonderful work as it relates to research and helping us to understand our underwater sea life.”

Mote Marine Laboratory is one of the oldest marine research laboratories in the Sunshine State. The lab first opened in 1955. While the Lab’s beginning years primarily focused on sharks, Mote’s research has expanded to include other areas of research such as studies of human cancer using marine models, the effects of human-made and natural toxic substances on humans and on the environment, the health of wild fisheries, the development of sustainable and successful fish restocking techniques and food production technologies and the development of ocean technology to help better understand the health of the environment.

With a core belief that “Where You Live Matters,” Neal Communities has given more than $7.75 million to local charities throughout Southwest Florida and is committed to the communities where they live, work and build. Over the years, Neal Communities has championed academic, athletic, cultural, environmental and philanthropic programs that support the arts, community, non-profit and educational organizations.

For more information about Mote Marine Laboratory, visit mote.org. For more information about Neal Communities’ community support, visit NealCommunities.com/where-you-live-matters.

Neal Communities, Southwest Florida’s premier, private homebuilder, donated $7,500 to support Sisters Sowing Seeds, a nonprofit organization that mentors and empowers teen girls in the community.

Neal Communities has supported the nonprofit organization since 2019, with donations now totaling $18,500. This is the largest donation made to date.

Sisters Sowing Seeds was founded in 2015 by Monica Donley, when she was a senior accountant with Neal Communities. The organization hosts tutoring and mentoring programs designed to help teen girls and young women succeed in school and life and strengthen their self-esteem. It offers programs both in-school and in the community.

Most recently, program participants gathered to identify and share their individual goals with one another. “Our quarterly session was created to motivate our participants to put their aspirations, dreams and goals into a visual form,” Donley said. “Our goal is to be accountability partners to one another. We envision an exercise ending in a celebration for accomplishing our goals – taking what may have seemed impossible and breaking it down into three phases and enjoying the process with a group.”

The $7,500 donation from Neal Communities will be used to fund Sisters Sowing Seeds’ programs, like its weekly middle school programs, tutoring services and counseling sessions for its students.

“We’re honored to continue to support Sisters Sowing Seeds, a wonderful organization that is empowering young women,” said Pat Neal, founder and chairman of Neal Communities. “We’re also proud to assist Monica in continuing her impactful work.”

Neal Communities has a philanthropic culture and a core belief that “Where You Live Matters.” The latest giving is part of more than $7.75 million that Neal Communities has donated to local charities and causes throughout Southwest Florida.

For more information about Neal Communities, visit NealCommunities.com. For more information about Sisters Sowing Seeds or to donate, visit SistersSowingSeeds.org.

Neal Communities, southwest Florida’s premier, private homebuilder, frequently contributes to nonprofits and events in the locations where the company’s employees and customers live and work. The builder is sponsoring two upcoming events in the amount of $5,000 each.

The Manatee County Fair will be held January 12-22, 2023, at the Manatee County Fairgrounds, 1303 17^th St. W in Palmetto. Neal Communities’ sponsorship of The Fair dates back at least 10 years and supports the variety of activities at this family friendly event.

Pat Neal, founder and chairman of Neal Communities said, “Supporting the Manatee County Fair brings back great memories for me. I always loved going to the county fair as a child growing up in Iowa, and I believe the Manatee County Fair is an opportunity for families to enjoy time together and celebrate the educational aspects of the industries that support our county as well as the entertainment at the fair.”

In addition to Neal Communities’ $5,000 sponsorship of the Manatee County Fair, Pat Neal is also personally purchasing steer and swine totaling $2,250 in support of the Manatee River Fair Association. This contribution is something that he has done for many years, and typically, he donates them to a local church.

Neal Communities is also sponsoring Palmetto Youth Center’s MLK Weekend Celebration in the amount of $5,000. Held January 13-15, the celebration includes a banquet, parade, talent show and church service.

The Palmetto Youth Center makes a difference in students’ and families’ lives through educational initiatives, mentoring programs, athletic and character-building activities.

Neal Communities has a philanthropic culture and a core belief that “Where You Live Matters.” The latest giving is part of more than $7.75 million Neal Communities has donated to local charities and causes throughout Southwest Florida. 

If you had walked into the Human Resources offices of Southwest Florida’s premier private homebuilder, Neal Communities, two weeks ago, you might have thought you were in a toy store. The office was filled with more than 100 packages for local children who might not otherwise receive gifts this holiday season.

Those presents were purchased by Neal Communities’ employees as part of the Salvation Army Angel Tree program. Employees who wanted to participate chose an angel card from the tree and purchased gifts for that child. Sixty-two Neal team members joined the initiative, which has been an ongoing annual tradition and has provided presents for more than 1,000 children over the years.

Employees from Neal Communities South Region in Fort Myers and Naples also joined together to help children in need by donating toys to Toys for Tots. The toy drive is run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve to distribute gifts to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them. This is Neal Communities third year participating in Toys for Tots.

“Every child deserves to experience the magic of the holidays,” said Ivory Matthews, vice president of community and governmental affairs. “This is a way many of us can come together to help other local families enjoy the season a little more and lift the financial burden for families in need.”

In a statement sent out to employees, Pat Neal, founder and chairman of Neal Communities said, “All I want to say is thank you. Thank you for the culture of giving at Neal. Thank you for thinking of others besides ourselves. Thanks for helping to make this season happier for lots of boys and girls.”

Southwest Florida’s premier private homebuilder, Neal Communities, hosted its 21st My Favorite Home art contest on Friday, December 9. The My Favorite Home art contest is a Neal Communities tradition that has taken place at a local elementary school each year since 1999, with the exceptions of 2020 and 2021 due to COVID.

Neal Communities partnered with Annie Lucy Williams Elementary School in Parrish. Students in kindergarten, second grade and fifth grade were given the opportunity to create their own vision of the ideal home using a variety of mediums. A winning artwork was selected from each grade, and two will be used on the Neal Communities and Neal Signature Homes holiday cards.

In addition, Neal Communities donated $1,500 to the school’s art department.

“This is a magnificent event,” said Andrea Keezer, the principal of Annie Lucy Williams Elementary School. “The children are very grateful to be included, and we are looking forward to purchasing art equipment with Neal Communities’ donation.”

The school’s art teacher, Stefani Lis, said, “I’m looking at using the donation to buy supplies for projects that we haven’t had the opportunity to explore yet, as well as additional materials to support students with extra needs.”

The kindergarten artists were learning about shapes and used cut outs to make their homes. The second graders were completing a unit on urban art and were challenged to create a city building that they would like to live in. The fifth graders were practicing two-point perspective and were asked to create gingerbread houses using that technique.

“We enjoy seeing each student’s unique vision of their favorite home and being able to help support the art curriculum for our local schools,” said Pat Neal, founder and chairman of Neal Communities. “We’ve done this contest 21 times now, and we’re excited to bring the contest back this year. It’s a pleasure every year.”

The artworks were judged by John Neal, president of Neal Land & Neighborhoods; Richard Tatem, Manatee County School Board Member, District 5; Anne LeBaron, CEO of Take Stock in Children of Manatee County; Jennifer Hamey, chair of Parrish Civic Association; Michael D. Williamson, division chief of Parrish Fire District; and Carlos Puente, vice president of sales and marketing of Neal Communities.

Visit the photo gallery for a full collection of event images.

For more information about Neal Communities, visit NealCommunities.com