FORT MYERS — As a health care system dedicated to serving its community, Lee Health is pleased to announce a partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties that will support its team members in the homeownership process and help others throughout the region.

Lee Health recognizes the value of homeownership and knows it can be challenging due to high costs, low inventory and unprecedented demand.

Through the partnership with Habitat for Humanity, Lee Health has launched a program to assist its team members in several ways. Lee Health will reimburse the credit report fee for housing counseling when they submit a Habitat for Humanity intake packet. This is the first step toward homeownership with Habitat for Humanity. Once the home is built and ready for move-in, the team member will also be given a gift card to Habitat’s ReStore – which sells new and gently used furniture, appliances and home goods – to help furnish their new house.

Additionally, the Lee Health Foundation will be making a $5,000 annual contribution to Habitat for Humanity’s educational housing counseling program, which provides counseling to community members seeking assistance financing, maintaining or owning a home.

The partnership was in the works prior to Hurricane Ian, and now it has the potential to help those who lost their homes due to the storm.

“We are proud to partner with Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties to continue to support our team members and our community members however we can,” said Mike Wukitsch, Lee Health’s chief people officer. “We hope through this partnership, we can make a significant difference in their lives, especially those who were impacted by Hurricane Ian.”

Once the build process with Habitat for Humanity begins, Lee Health will support and encourage team members to get involved in the build of their co-worker’s home.

Each person accepted into the program is required to contribute 300 hours of sweat equity for their Habitat house, and through the partnership, Lee Health team members will be able to share those hours with their coworkers. The idea is for all Lee Health team members to play an active part in helping their fellow coworkers achieve their dream of owning a home.

Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties is a HUD-approved housing counseling agency that builds new or rehabilitates existing homes and sells them to qualified families by using an affordable mortgage. Monthly mortgage payments are set at 30% or less of the homeowner’s income, making homeownership attainable for many people.

“We all rely on the critical skills and compassionate care provided by the healthcare workers of Lee County,” said Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties CEO Becky Lucas. “Because of the affordable housing crisis, Habitat’s work must continue to keep those dedicated and trained professionals in our community. The partnership with Lee Health will strengthen that commitment to affordable homeownership, and we are grateful for their support.”

Learn more about Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties at www.habitat4humanity.org.

Learn more about Lee Health at www.leehealth.org.