Carla Sanchez has lived in the same home in Nicaragua for 18 years — if you can call it a home. The makeshift structure has a dirt floor and is barely assembled with pieces of old wood, plastic, and rotten metal sheets. It isn’t stable, secure, or safe. And things are only getting worse.

Carla’s husband, Mauricio, has been sick the past 15 months. He is suffering from kidney failure and is in the last stage of his illness. The two share their small, unstable home with their five children and one grandson.

Their eldest daughter is a single mom who, after finishing elementary school, never finished her education. Instead, she works as a housekeeper in San Juan del Sur. Their eldest son also never finished his education in order to work, but is currently unemployed. Their youngest children are all currently in school. When you add their grandson to the mix, their frail home is not only potentially dangerous, but it’s overcrowding.

Carla’s family needs a safe place to call home.

Earlier this year, the Concierge Auctions team in Austin participated in our first Habitat for Humanity build with Giveback Homes, and something magical happened. We got to see our giving in action and learn more about the issues of housing that impact the world.

We’ve been involved with Giveback Homes since last year. Our relationship began as sponsors for fundraising events and by spending time with founder Blake Andrews and co-founder Caroline Pinal. We were drawn to their passionate commitment to housing for all, and to their tireless devotion to bringing social good to the forefront in real estate. At fundraising events in Austin, New York, San Francisco, and San Diego, we met more and more real estate agents and real estate companies who shared their vision. Like us, they were willing to give both money and time.

Which brings us back to Carla’s family.

This week, three Concierge team members are taking our support to the next level. Chad Roffers, Frank Kivo, and Nick Leonard have traveled to San Cayetano, Nicaragua with Giveback Homes for a build experience as part of the Habitat for Humanity Global Village.

It will be intense work in the heat of a Nicaraguan summer. Volunteers at these builds work long hours, mixing concrete, moving dirt, loading masonry blocks, and digging trenches. The homes being built are rebar-reinforced cement block houses of simple construction, but they mean the world to families who have often been living in homes that don’t offer adequate safety or protection from the elements.

The need in Nicaragua is extreme. Habitat for Humanity reports that Nicaragua has one of the highest housing deficits in Central America. It is the second poorest country in the western hemisphere. The families that Habitat and Giveback Homes help are hard-working people living in dire conditions.

Together with Habitat and Giveback Homes, our team will be creating a new and safe home for Carla’s family. Carla’s new house will include a concrete floor, reinforced masonry, cinder blocks, 26-gauge metal roof, and four metal windows. It is a two-bedroom house with a living area.

When our team returns from Nicaragua, we will share pictures and videos from our journey along with more information on how we plan to work with Giveback Homes to do even more. To learn more about Giveback Homes build projects and join the movement, please visit https://givebackhomes.com/builds.