Making a Difference Starts Small

Every volunteer story has a beginning—sometimes in the most unexpected places. For Elizabeth Watts, it all started behind a bank teller counter.

“I was working as a teller at a local bank when we went out to paint the interior of a Habitat home,” she recalls. “The reward of knowing I helped be part of someone’s future was all I needed.”

That one day of volunteering in 2012 lit a spark in Elizabeth. What began as a team outing turned into a personal calling to do more, give more, and walk alongside families as they built their futures.

In 2018, her involvement deepened when she joined Habitat’s Homeowner Services Committee—a group that supports families through the application and preparation process on their path to homeownership.

“Being able to meet the future homeowners and help guide them toward becoming homeowners was incredibly meaningful,” she shares. “It made everything feel real and personal.”

That experience opened a new door for Elizabeth: in 2022, she joined the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity South Sarasota County, continuing her journey of impact and leadership.

“Getting more involved with how we truly help our community has been an amazing experience,” Elizabeth says. “It’s shown me how many hands and hearts come together to make these homes—and these dreams—possible.”

Over a decade since that first paintbrush stroke, Elizabeth remains deeply committed to Habitat’s mission. Her story is a beautiful example of how saying “yes” to one opportunity can lead to a lifelong journey of purpose and service.

Elizabeth Watts, Volunteer since 2012 and Current Board President