Lawyers to the Rescue take on a Habitat for Humanity project
LAWYERS TO THE RESCUE, a humanitarian organization founded by Coral Gables lawyer Spencer Aronfeld, recently participated in a Habitat for Humanity of Greater Miami project. Participating lawyers and members of their support staffs traded in the tools of their trade — computers, BlackBerries and cell phones — for hammers, nails, roof slabs, and paint. “Habitat is not a giveaway program,” said Rud Nast of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Miami. “In addition to meeting the financial criteria, down payment, and low monthly mortgage payments, homeowners invest hundreds of hours of their own labor – sweat equity – into building their Habitat home and the homes of others.” Regardless of the 96-degree temperature that felt more like 115 degrees while working on the rooftop, lawyer Mayra Lindsay said it was important to be there. “We all need to help each other and do whatever we can,” she said. Mark Journey, a business litigation lawyer, replied jokingly, “We are all here because we have nothing better to do at 8 a.m. on a Saturday.” Despite the heat, Joel Bello, a family attorney, was grateful he was also learning new skills he could use fixing things around his house. Vivian, the homeowner and mother of two boys, is a full-time correctional officer in Miami and works on the house two days a week.
