Built America Magazine | South
A Foundation Rooted in Compassion Before there was HomeAid Orlando, there was HomeAid America, born thirty-six years ago in Orange County, California. Back then, industry leaders discovered something simple and revolutionary: when they asked builders for cash donations, few could help. But when they asked for labor, materials, and craftsmanship, the doors opened. “That’s how HomeAid was born,” Kascandi explains. “It worked because it let builders do what they do best.” Since then, affiliates have grown nationwide, each shaping the mission to local needs. In 2019, the Greater Orlando Builders Association, together with HomeAid America and a handful of civic-minded advocates, launched the Orlando chapter. At its helm stood Russ Beymer, a thirty- year homebuilding veteran who traded blueprints for purpose. “He’s been there since the beginning,” Kacsandi says. “Every site, every project, every partnership. He jokes that he talks too much—but it’s because he feels it all.” Five years later, HomeAid Orlando has become a movement. Its mission stands on three pillars: construction, community outreach, and education.
Each one anchored in empathy.
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