HBA Young Professionals Committee Uplifts Children’s Center

In the season of giving, NAHB members seek unique ways to apply their skills to give back to their communities. To help create a better future for others, the Huntsville Madison County Builders Association (HMCBA) Young Professionals (YP) Committee worked with the National Children’s Advocacy Center to build a zen garden featuring a fountain and pebble walkway.

The YP committee regularly meets for networking and quarterly community service projects. One event had the group visiting the center and learning about its mission to create a better community, inspiring them to grow the space. NAHB members provided materials and labor to create a safe space for abused children overcoming trauma.

“Getting to know the advocacy center’s director, our YP group was excited to help expand their outdoor space,” said David Brown, Senior Vice President of Trustmark. “The outside was a neglected area for a long time. Thanks to the community, it is now a showcase of their facility.”

Although the committee is young, it sought to make an impact through immediate involvement with community service. In its first year, the YP group participated in three local projects where aspiring future leaders could network and learn together about the ins and outs of their county.

“We’re constantly looking for ways to find our identity and place within Huntsville Madison County,” Brown said. “The dream of turning the community’s ideas into a reality, we want to perform generational change that gets us out of our comfort zone and makes a long-term impact.”

Huntsville Madison County YPs have also been active in a Christmas toy drive for the nonprofit Kids to Love, which aids children in the adoption process. The HBA’s Young Professionals, Sales and Marketing and Professional Women in Building councils reached out across the HBA to donate at the annual holiday open house party. The group received donations of toys and coats for local children in need for the holiday season.

“Considering the group started from scratch, every member recognized how YPs can be innovative and important to our HBA,” said Barry Oxley, Executive Officer of HMCBA. “Leadership got engaged from the start, and today involvement has only gone up, and we are more connected than ever.”

Learn how to build a successful YP group at your local HBA by visiting nahb.org/yptoolkit.