Category: News

Neal Communities Donates $2,000 to Support Young Athletes in Manatee County

Southwest Florida’s premier private homebuilder, Neal Communities, recently donated $2,000 to two Manatee County organizations that support young athletes.

Neal Communities gave $1,000 to Braden River High School’s Black Pearls Dance Team and $1,000 to Braden River Little League.

With a core belief that “Where You Live Matters,” Neal Communities has given more than $7.5 million to local charities throughout Southwest Florida and is committed to the communities where they live, work and build.

“We are happy that Neal Communities can help support organizations that are making a difference in the lives of our youth and these two Braden River organizations are doing just that,” said Pat Neal, founder and president of Neal Communities. “It also helps reinforce that we care about our employees and the causes that are important to them.”

Andy Losada, a construction manager at Neal Communities, said he was delighted that his employer provided support for his 15-year-old daughter, Ava, to continue her dream of being on the Black Pearls dance team at Braden River High School. This will be Ava’s second year with the dance squad and the second consecutive year that Neal Communities has donated $1,000 to support her passion for dancing. Neal Communities’ donation will assist the team in getting performance costumes.

“Each girl has to raise enough money to be on the team,” Losada said. He explained the program relies on community donations to fund its program, which includes performances, competitions and community events throughout the year. “This is a huge support and nice to get this a second year. We are very, very happy with this.”

In March, the Black Pearls received the title “Outstanding First Place Team” in the MA Dance State Championship. Losada said Ava had wanted to be on the dance team since she was six years old and was thrilled to learn she made the team after auditioning as a freshman last year. As a sophomore this year, she’ll continue her passion.

In addition to supporting the Black Pearls dance team, Neal Communities also made a donation to Braden River Little League.

The home builder recently donated $1,000 to the organization to sponsor a Braden River All-Star team headed into a tournament. The donation helps to cover the cost of the team’s entry into the tournament, as well as uniforms, helmets and gear. The annual tournament starts at the district level and the team must advance its way through (winning each game) to culminate at a World Series Tournament.

Grover Keltz, construction manager with Neal Communities, is the assistant coach for the team, which includes his 11-year-old son, Grayson, who plays pitcher, first base and several other positions.

Keltz became a coach for a Braden River Little League team last season after he retired from the U.S. Army and moved his family to Florida from New York. He joined the Little League program to be on the field with his son. He said he’s been involved in Grayson’s baseball interest since the boy was two years old.

Last year, Neal Communities agreed to sponsor a Braden River Little League team, which is named after the private home builder, for two seasons. Many of the Neal Communities players will be competing in the tournament program this summer.

“I love working for Neal Communities,” said Keltz, who will serve as an assistant coach for the all-star team and for the Neal Communities team next season. “They took a chance on me, hiring me fresh out of the military, and they’ve been fantastic. When I asked them to sponsor our Little League team and they said yes, I was like, ‘wow.’ I’m very appreciative of their support. I don’t ever see myself leaving this company.”

For more information about Neal Communities, visit staging.nealcommunities.com/.

June 13, 2023
Buy A Villa Home with Neal Communities!

For many, homeownership is a lifelong dream. Building a new construction home makes that dream ever more appealing, allowing homeowners to add personal touches to the ideal floorplan or select one already in progress. For first-time and even veteran homeowners, deciding what type of home to buy is a major decision. After all, Where You Live Matters, and you want to make sure your home is comfortable and adapts to your lifestyle.

This is why villa homes can be the perfect solution. These charming floor designs offer you the benefits that come with a new construction home, making it a worthwhile consideration. Here are four key advantages of purchasing a villa home:

1.) Maintenance-Assisted: Homeownership is always exciting, but it also comes with a new set of responsibilities. One of these is yard maintenance, and for first-time homebuyers and those looking to downsize, it can be a challenge to add in this task to the schedule.

This is where villa homes can be a huge help. Neal Communities offers maintenance-assisted villas, meaning this work will be done for you, making it one item you can check off your list. If the idea of worry-free upkeep sounds wonderful, then a villa home might be right for you.

2.) Multiple Floorplans: When it comes to villa homes, each floor plan has its own unique layout. You will need to decide what you would like to see in the home. Do you want to have a dining room to sit down and enjoy meals? Do you want a space for privacy or entertainment? Carefully consider what is most important to you.

Our villa homes have two-car garages and offer 2-3 bedrooms, allowing you plenty of space for cars and to have company over, but each offers its own unique advantages. We offer interactive floorplans and virtual tours of each villa design, so you can have an immediate idea of the layout and understand what design options are available if you want to make changes.

3.) Multi-Purpose Living Spaces: While villa homes offer a more intimate environment, the open floor designs will allow you and your guests to get the most out of the space. You can entertain family and friends with refreshments or a display of culinary artistry in the kitchen, or unwind over favorite TV shows in the nearby great room. The dining spaces also allow you to bring meals from pan to plate effortlessly. The villas also offer lanais, accessible from sliding doors in the great room, so you have the opportunity to take in a beautiful view while outside.

4.) The Perfect Fit for Any Lifestyle: The major advantage all of our villa homes possess is that they’re already the right size for any lifestyle. If you find your family will be growing, the extra bedrooms are there for your needs. If you’re downsizing and want a simple environment, our villa homes are accessible and offer plenty of space.

For those who enjoy entertaining, several villas offer a formal dining space. Others have the option of a den, perfect for a private office or enjoying a must-read book. Whatever your lifestyle is, you can rest assured that a Neal villa home can accommodate it.

As one of Southwest Florida’s premier builders, Neal Communities offers a variety of villa homes in our many neighborhoods. If you find a home in a community matching your needs and want to arrange a tour, contact us here.

June 11, 2023
Neal Communities Supports Take Stock in Children with Over $10,000 in Donations

Neal Communities Finance Director Pamela Curran started volunteering as a mentor with Take Stock in Children of Manatee County two years ago and had no idea how powerful the experience would be for her.

Curran’s friend, who works at Take Stock in Children, first convinced Curran to volunteer. She was introduced to a student that was in her junior year at Southeast High School. With a child the same age, Curran easily developed a bond with the girl. It wasn’t long after that her friend asked Curran if she was able to mentee a second student, another junior at Southeast High School. Both girls are now seniors graduating this month.

“They both have become an extension of my family,” Curran said. And while she didn’t mean for it to happen, both mentees also have become friends with each other and with Curran’s 17-year-old daughter.

Neal Communities is an avid supporter of the Take Stock in Children program in both Manatee and Sarasota Counties. As the largest privately owned home builder in Southwest Florida, Neal Communities has eight employees who, like Curran, volunteer as mentors through the program.

“The Take Stock in Children program offers our employees a way to directly enrich in a child’s life and prepare children for the future,” said Pat Neal, founder and president of Neal Communities. “We are happy to support a program that focuses on helping our youth succeed.”

The home builder recently was a $2,500 sponsor of the Take Stock in Children Sarasota County’s annual Celebration of Hope event, which is the program’s graduation ceremony for students completing the program and receiving the college scholarship with their college plans announced.

Neal Communities also donated $10,600 to Take Stock in Children of Manatee County to provide a single tuition-based college/technical college scholarship to a student in the Manatee County program.

“Companies like Neal Communities that encourage employees to mentor lead by example. They value the investment of time to change a child’s life and the community. Their employees share their professional work experience with students and broaden the possibilities available to young people,” said Diana Dill, development director and community partnership portfolio manager for Take Stock in Children of Sarasota County.

The Take Stock in Children’s mission is to break the cycle of poverty for low-income, academically qualified students by providing opportunities for a postsecondary education. The students, from middle to high school age, are matched with a volunteer mentor, provided college readiness services and a dedicated college success coach. Each student is awarded a college scholarship and provided with postsecondary support through degree or certification attainment.

While the program requires Curran to spend a minimum of 30 minutes a week with her students, Curran said she often spends much more time. She said they talk about more than just school and future education plans. “It’s just really to help them follow their path,” she said, using expressions like “a cheerleader”, “a motivator”, and “a shoulder to lean on” when describing the role that she plays as a mentor. “They teach me new things on a daily basis,” she said. “They motivate me to be the best mentor that I can be.”

Curran’s volunteer efforts were recognized. She was named Take Stock Manatee Mentor of the Year this past January.

Curran said the other employees at Neal Communities who mentor support each other’s efforts. She told a story about how a co-worker was planning to share a book about business leadership with his mentee. Curran said she ended up sharing the same book with her students. “We support each other in this role and give each other guidance,” she said. “It’s great camaraderie among those of us at Neal Communities who mentor.”

Neal Communities has been a community partner and supporter of Take Stock in Children of Manatee County since 2017. In total, Neal Communities has donated $29,200 to the organization. With a core belief that “Where You Live Matters,” Neal Communities has given more than $7.5 million to local charities throughout Southwest Florida and is committed to the communities where they live, work and build.

“Take Stock in Children is incredibly grateful for community leaders like Neal Communities for dedicating resources to ensure local students reach their greatest potential,” Dill said.

For more information about Take Stock in Children of Sarasota County, visit TakeStockSarasota.org. For more information about Take Stock in Children in Manatee County, visit TakeStockManatee.org. For more information about Neal Communities visit staging.nealcommunities.com/.

May 17, 2023
Neal Communities Donates $10,000 to Youth Sports Leagues to Help with Hurricane Ian Recovery

Neal Communities, the area’s largest private home developer, has donated a total of $10,000 to two local sports leagues to help them recover from Hurricane Ian.

Neal Communities donated $5,000 to North Port Junior Bobcats Pop Warner football league to assist them with equipment purchases, including replacement of football equipment lost or damaged by the hurricane last fall. The private home developer also donated $5,000 to Sarasota Babe Ruth Baseball to assist them with repairing a storm-damaged dugout roof and the main building’s roof at the organization’s fields off Fruitville Road.

“It is nice that Neal Communities cares about the area and our local youth,” said Junior Bobcats President Harry Russom, who also is the land development manager for Neal Communities. Russom requested the funds through an internal process that Neal Communities has in place to support employees and their community service.

The North Port community was severely impacted by Hurricane Ian in September. After the harsh winds subsided, rising floodwaters further damaged homes and property. The North Port Junior Bobcats league’s football players and their families were negatively impacted and some even lost their homes, Russom said. In the aftermath, the league’s football equipment, including padding and helmets, were destroyed or lost.

“It was hard on people, especially those who had lost so much,” Russom said. “The funds are helping us to get the equipment that we need so that we can continue to play.”

The pop warner football league normally has about 125 football players spread throughout five different age groups, including ages six and under, ages seven and eight, ages nine and 10, ages 11 and 12 and ages 13 and 14. The league also has a cheer program with about 85 children. The organization offers both a fall and spring season and plays at North Port High School’s football stadium, called “The Preserve.”

“The area is growing and so are our youth sports teams,” Russom said. “Neal Communities’ tagline is ‘Where You Live Matters,’ which is one of the reasons that I came to work for the company. Their values align with my values and principles.”

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.

“Local youth sports leagues like North Port’s Junior Bobcats and Sarasota Babe Ruth Baseball have a positive impact on the children in our local communities,” said Pat Neal, founder and president of Neal Communities. “We’re proud to support these organization’s efforts – especially to help them recover some of their losses after the storm.”

For Sarasota Babe Ruth Baseball, the funds will be used to replace roofs on a dugout and main building at their fields near the corner of Beneva Road and Fruitville Road, said Rob LaGasse, a longtime coach for Babe Ruth Baseball.

“Our regular dues don’t always cover the full operation expenses, so we run fundraisers all year,” LaGasse said. “But nothing covers unexpected needs like the repairs to these buildings.”

LaGasse first started coaching for the little league 13 years ago when his son, Alex, got involved in baseball. Alex outgrew the program, but LaGasse stayed on as a coach. He said he enjoys working with the kids and teaching them about teamwork and being a leader.

“People don’t realize that learning to be a team player helps set kids up for success. They become future business owners and learn how to be leaders,” said LaGasse, who also is a pool designer for Waterscapes Pools & Spas, part of the Neal Communities’ family of companies.

Babe Ruth Baseball is for ballplayers ages 13 to 15 who want to continue their baseball playing experience beyond the age of 12. With both a fall and spring season, the players compete on standard 90-foot diamonds under official baseball rules used by Major League Baseball.

LaGasse said he is thankful for Neal Communities’ donation to help the Sarasota Babe Ruth Baseball league fix their facilities. “It makes me proud to work here,” he said. “It’s truly a family-owned business and they care about their employees’ interests.”

For more information about Neal Communities, visit staging.nealcommunities.com/. For more information about North Port Junior Bobcats Pop Warner or to donate to the organization to assist with storm recovery, visit www.NPJrBobcats.com. For more information about Sarasota Babe Ruth Baseball, visit www.SarasotaBabeRuth.com, and to send a donation to assist with storm recovery, email caluer@mote.org.

May 15, 2023
For Neal Communities’ Katie Rhyne, It’s All About Career Growth with a Community Focus

Katie Rhyne never knows what the day might bring in her role as community affairs coordinator for Neal Communities. Some days, she’s working with local nonprofits on ways the home builder can help support their efforts. At other times, she might be focusing on a land-use issue or talking with members of local government.

“Every day looks a little different,” she says. “My job is about maintaining Neal’s position and reputation in the community in a professional sense, in a philanthropic sense, and within our own communities.”

A career highlight for Katie in her year and a half at Neal Communities has been her work on a recent land-use entitlement project. “We had a really exciting project approved earlier this year that my efforts were instrumental in,” she says. “It’s cool to see the fruits of my labor in that approval and how it benefits the company overall.”

Katie is no stranger to giving back outside of work. She’s involved with her church in multiple capacities and is currently mentoring a high schooler through Take Stock in Children. Through her job at Neal, she’s able to expand on that personal interest in her professional life.

“A lot of the organizations that we partner with have been suggested by Neal team members who have some sort of history or connection to them,” she says. “So we support them year after year. It’s fulfilling to be able to create relationships and then continue to support those relationships.”

Katie herself is building relationships that will prove beneficial in her career development. Her goal was to work for a large local company, and taking on this role at Neal Communities is helping her develop knowledge about the local region and gain valuable skills she’ll keep using as her career progresses.

“I’m lucky with my current role that I’m being trained in different areas and learning skills that I’ll be able to apply to any job,” she says. “And I appreciate the exposure to different nonprofits, organizations, and positions that do great work in our community.”

She’s also found the kind of workplace culture she was looking for at Neal Communities. “There’s definitely an investment in the employees,” she says. “And we’re all working together very hard for a common goal.”

Katie’s just starting out in her career, and she’s encountered plenty of coworkers at Neal to look to for guidance or inspiration. That includes her supervisor, Ivory Matthews, who serves as the company’s vice president of community and governmental affairs. “She’s very good at explaining things to me and really taking the time and walking me through the steps and the processes,” says Katie. “I’ve been thankful for that.”

“I’ve also enjoyed getting to work under Pat Neal’s leadership,” she says. “There is definitely a lot to learn from him.”

When she’s not working, Katie can often be found outdoors. “I love to go to the beach for sunsets, and spend time walking on the Legacy Trail,” she says. “Our home has so much to offer. I like to try new places and enjoy the amenities of our area.”

May 8, 2023
Neal Communities Achieves Sales Goals in First Quarter with 279 Homes Sold

Neal Communities, Southwest Florida’s large private homebuilder, has seen strong first quarter sales results for 2023, with a total of 279 homes sold.

Neal Communities and Neal Signature Homes, the company’s luxury home division, closed 77 sales in January, 101 sales in February, and another 101 sales in March. This strong start to the year represents a robust market that the company expects to continue through the rest of 2023.

“Relative to our revised expectations for selling season, March turned out very well for us. Many folks who were on the fence late in 2022, due to rates, jumped back in when the rates started to improve in late February and early March,” said Carlos Puente, vice president of sales and marketing for Neal Communities. “Furthermore, lots of people are looking to move to Florida, where prices and taxes are still attractive – in comparison to the Northeast and West Coast – and where the sun continues to shine most of the year. You really can’t beat living in Florida, and more people are coming to that realization.”

Neal Communities’ Grand Park community in Sarasota led in sales for the quarter. The community embraces natural beauty with many old growth trees, lush landscaping and outdoor spaces, and resort style amenities. Located in south Sarasota, Grand Park features award-winning home designs featuring a British West Indies theme and offers homeowners and potential buyers easy access to I-75, shopping and dining on Clark Road and nearby Siesta Key Village, as well as a multi-million dollar amenity that includes two resort-style pools, pickleball, volleyball and tennis courts, a recreation center and clubhouse and parks, playgrounds and trails.

“The year is off to a strong start,” said Pat Neal, founder and president of Neal Communities. “With the continued migration to Florida from other states, we expect to see steady sales growth continue throughout the year.”

Neal Communities’ sales in fiscal year 2022 were just over $600 milliion, and in 2021 they were right at $603 million. The building industry as a whole experienced challenges last year due to supply chain issues and labor shortages that affected the ability to complete projects.

Headquartered in Lakewood Ranch, Neal Communities is actively building and selling properties in Lakewood Ranch, Bradenton, Sarasota, Venice, Port Charlotte, Fort Myers and Napes. The company recently sold its 20,000th home. The milestone moment took place on March 21st inside a community sales office for a home in the award-winning community of Windward at Lakewood Ranch.

Neal Communities’ latest community is Wildleaf, a new neighborhood of single-family homes and villas within North River Ranch. The community will include an estimated 378 units, consisting of maintenance-assisted paired villas and single-family home options ranging from 1,533 to 3,156 square feet. As with many Neal Communities, residents have access to a variety of amenities including parks and playgrounds, trails systems, clubhouse, multiple swimming pools, fitness centers and more.

April 26, 2023
Neal Communities Recognized by Best of SRQ People’s Choice Awards

This April, SRQ Magazine released its Best of SRQ issue which named Neal Communities in several top honors.

The media company hosts an annual people’s choice awards program in which nominations are collected from the public in a variety of categories. Voting by the public takes place online over the course of about four weeks in January and February.

Best New Home Neighborhood
Neal Communities was named a platinum winner in several categories, including Best New Home Neighborhood for its Windward at Lakewood Ranch community that includes attached villas and single-family homes. Windward residents enjoy a resort-style swimming pool, separate children’s pool, pickleball and tennis courts, a dog park, a clubhouse with gathering spaces, a state-of-the-art fitness center and on-site activities director. Residents of the Windward community can easily access Waterside, a mixed-use community with a vibrant downtown area located just northwest of Windward. (Waterside received the gold in the same category.)

In the same category, North River Ranch received a silver recognition. Neal Communities recently celebrated the grand opening of Wildleaf at North River Ranch, which offers single family homes and villas. Spread over 2,600 acres, North River Ranch is situated at the apex of Manatee, Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties and offers easy access to Interstate 75. The growing area includes both residential and commercial amenities. Wildleaf residents will have access to a variety of amenities throughout North River Ranch, including parks and playgrounds, a 26-mile greenway trails system and fitness pods, clubhouses, multiple swimming pools, fitness centers and a dog park. Neal Communities also built Riverfield in North River Ranch, which is nearing sellout.

Named Among Best of Venice
Within SRQ Magazine’s Best of Venice categories, Neal Communities received several accolades. Overall, Neal Communities received the platinum level Best Venice New Home Builder. Additionally, one of Neal Communities’ newest neighborhoods in Wellen Park, Avelina, was recognized. The community received platinum status for both Best Venice New Home Community and Best Venice Home Model for the home builder’s Sea Spray model. Avelina is a 96-home community that offers five stunning floorplans ranging from 2,327 square feet to 2,762 square feet. Eight homes were sold in Avelina within the first 30 days of its opening. Avelina is located in the Playmore District of Wellen Park, a growing area of South Sarasota County.

Neal Communities also was recognized at the bronze level in the category of Best Venice Home Model for a model within the Boca Royale Golf and Country Club. Set beneath a canopy of mature oaks and tropical palm trees, Boca Royale Golf and Country Club is situated in the Englewood community. Homes range from villas to estate homes with a variety of amenities, including an 18-hole golf course with new Champion Ultradwarf greens, five tee box locations and scenic views with low home visibility from the fairways.

Best Pool Contractor
In addition, one of Neal Communities’ brands, Waterscapes Pools and Spas, received a platinum recognition for Best Pool Contractor. A custom pool builder, Waterscapes Pools and Spas uses only the finest materials and products and offers pools equipped with a variety of specialty features to ultimately create a personal oasis for homeowners. Much like its parent company, Waterscapes Pools and Spas prides itself on being customer focused, award winning and community serving.

Top 10 Best Local Places to Work
Neal Communities was listed among the Top 10 Best Local Places to Work in the SRQ people’s choice award. Employees nominated the company and provided testimonials. This is not the first time Neal Communities’ workplace culture has been recognized by its employee base. The home builder has received the Best Places to Work award from the Herald-Tribune Media Group each year since 2019. The company attributes this to a united goal of helping people improve their lives throughout Southwest Florida and the communities it builds.

To read more about the Best of SRQ, visit www.SRQMagazine.com/2023/bestof. For more information about Neal Communities, visit staging.nealcommunities.com/.

April 10, 2023
Neal Communities Hosts Grand Opening Celebrations for Wildleaf at River Ranch

Neal Communities, Southwest Florida’s largest private homebuilder, will host both virtual and in-person grand openings of Wildleaf, a new community of single-family homes and villas within North River Ranch.

An initial virtual grand opening event will be held at 12 p.m. on Friday, March 31. Viewers will see a live broadcast on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube of Neal Communities staff revealing details of the newest North River Ranch community, including tours of the model homes. Viewers are encouraged to RSVP through the company’s Events tab on Facebook or at https://on.nealcommunities.com/wildleaf-go/.

An in-person grand opening celebration will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 1, at 10025 Hammock Brook Drive in Parrish. At the event, attendees will be invited to enter a prize drawing, enjoy lunch from Nas Philly Steaks (while supplies last) and tour the new single-family and villa model homes in Wildleaf.

Wildleaf is the newest Neal Communities neighborhood in the Parrish area. The community will include an estimated 378 units built in two separate phases in North River Ranch. The maintenance-assisted paired villas include 1,433-square-foot and 1,530-foot options. Single-family home options include those in the builder’s Cruise Series, which range from 1,533 to 2,428 square feet, the Celebration Series, which range from 2,014 and 2,110 square feet, and the Cove Series, which range from 1,904 to 2,427 square feet. Some of the floor plans allow for additional options, including second floor elevations, so the home size can reach up to 3,156 square feet.

“We look forward to opening our second neighborhood inside this vibrant and growing area of Southwest Florida,” said Pat Neal, founder and president of Neal Communities. “Our first community in North River Ranch was Riverfield, which features townhomes and is now almost sold out. With both villas and single-family homes, we are excited that Wildleaf will offer a wide variety of housing options in this beautiful, master-planned community.”

Wildleaf residents will have access to a variety of amenities throughout North River Ranch, including parks and playgrounds, a 26-mile greenway trails system and fitness pods, clubhouses, multiple swimming pools, fitness centers and a dog park. Residents will have easy access to Camp Creek, a 12-plus acre recreation spot with a social facility, pool, game room, café, individual workspaces, relaxation areas, open spaces and more.

Spread over 2,600 acres, North River Ranch is situated at the apex of Manatee, Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties and offers easy access to Interstate 75. The growing area includes both residential and commercial amenities. A future Publix and Market Walk will soon provide grocery and lifestyle options for North River Ranch residents. In addition, the community will soon have a new 150-bed hospital from HCA Florida Healthcare at the North River Ranch Village Center.

Schools near the new Wildleaf community include the new Barbara Harvey Elementary, Buffalo Creek Middle School and the new Parrish Community High School.

For more information about Wildleaf or the upcoming grand opening celebrations, visit https://on.nealcommunities.com/wildleaf-go/.

March 29, 2023
Neal Communities Celebrates 20,000th Home Purchase

Neal Communities, Southwest Florida’s largest private home builder, sold its 20,000th home last week.

The milestone moment took place on March 21st inside a community sales office for a home in the award-winning Windward at Lakewood Ranch. Boca Raton resident Sylvia Fiammetta purchased a 1,530-square-foot Tidewater villa, one of Neal Communities’ best-selling plans, currently under construction inside the vibrant Lakewood Ranch neighborhood.

Fiammetta told staff she is looking forward to relocating to the Sarasota area, making new friends, being closer to current ones and enjoying all of the amenities at Windward. Homes at Windward are known for their British West Indies and Dutch Colonial architecture, and the community includes a 9,600-square-foot clubhouse with a fitness center, two resort-style pools, several sports courts and fields, playground and miles of trails that connect to parks and dog parks.

To commemorate the occasion, Neal Communities’ staff celebrated Fiammetta’s purchase by presenting her with a cake and champagne gift basket. Neal Communities also surprised her with a $500 gift card.

“Wow, Neal Communities is a class act,” she said in a conversation thanking staff later that day.

Neal Communities, headquartered in Lakewood Ranch, is Southwest Florida’s largest and most established locally owned and operated private builder. During the company’s 50-year history, it has built more than 90 acclaimed communities from Tampa to Naples. Company sales in fiscal year 2022 were $600 million.

The company consistently ranks among the nation’s top 100 home builders and has earned numerous awards including the prestigious Builder of the Year from Professional Builder in 2015 and America’s Best Builder in 2012 from BUILDER Magazine.

For more information about Neal Communities, visit NealCommunities.com.

March 28, 2023
Neal Communities makes $10,000 donation to Healthy Teens

Neal Communities, Southwest Florida’s premier, private homebuilder, has made a $10,000 donation to Healthy Teens. This is the second consecutive year that Neal Communities has donated $10,000 to assist the youth program in helping local teens flourish.

Healthy Teens provides vital health and life skills education and mentoring to hundreds of local youth between the ages of 11 and 25 each year. The organization is dedicated to empowering youth to make positive, healthy decisions for their success and wellbeing, providing them with the knowledge and skills needed to make informed choices about their physical, mental and emotional health.

“We strongly believe in investing in future generations and helping our local youth gain the skills they need to lead successful adult lives,” said Pat Neal, founder and president of Neal Communities. “We are happy to support Healthy Teens and the positive impact they are making in our local community.”

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.

Healthy Teens’ flagship Teen Health Educator Program trains local youth ages 14 to 18 to serve as peer educators and mentors to help empower at-risk youth in the community. Previously trained teen educators over the age of 18 serve as Young Adult Leaders and support the current Teen Health Educators.

The funding from Neal Communities will be used to help expand the program into Sarasota County, building on the existing work developed in Manatee County over the past decade, said Jonathan Evans, executive director of Healthy Teens.

“We are thrilled to once again partner with Neal Communities in this critical work” Evans said. “The incredible commitment of Neal Communities to the health and wellbeing of our youth is needed now more than ever, and we are proud to work together to empower youth to make positive, healthy decisions every day.”

For more information about Neal Communities visit NealCommunities.com. For more information about Healthy Teens, visit healthyteens.org.

March 23, 2023