US Home gives aid to Street Teens

Home builder awards $50,000 grant to local organization

Mike DeSilva, president of US Home's Las Vegas Division, recently received Lennar Corp.'s 2004 CEO Award from the home builder's parent company. The award comes with a $50,000 grant for a local charity of the builder's choice, which DeSilva decided to donate to Street Teens.

"Our corporate focus is 'we care,'" DeSilva said. "We wanted to find a charity where we could really make a difference in time and money. Many of the larger charities have higher budgets and we were looking a charity that was underfunded so we could make a significant difference. With Street Teens, our donation will have a major impact on projects that they can take on and the young people they can help."

At the charity's recent board meeting, DeSilva presented the $50,000 check to Lisa Preston, executive director.

"This the future of our society," DeSilva said of the charity's work.

"We do have the ability to shape and affect, even enhance the quality of life for young people caught in a seemly impossible situation through no fault of their own. US Home wants to help raise awareness of Street Teens and to help them increase donations."

DeSilva also committed to making the company's resources available to the charity to extend the partnership through 2005.

"You tell us what you need, and we will do everything possible to help in any way we can," DeSilva said.

"In fact, we will have volunteers from our staff cleaning, sorting and organizing the Street Teens headquarters this week."

The board accepted the offer.

Street Teens is a volunteer-based organization dedicated to helping homeless and at-risk teens by providing counseling, temporary day shelter, food and drink, clothing, sleeping bags and transportation.

The public may donate to the organization items such as hairspray, chap stick, shampoo, feminine hygiene products, shoes, jeans, underwear, prepaid phone cards, pots and pans, can openers, sheets and bus tokens. Cash donations are always welcome as well.

Preston said the donation will make a tremendous impact.

"We are overwhelmed by this," she said.

"We are all still a bit in shock and so excited about this partnership with Mike DeSilva and US Home. It really came out of the blue. Just one of those magic things that happen in life. I guess you could call it a small miracle --- something the holidays are famous for bringing about."