Hurricane season arrives early in Florida minds. Before the first storm forms, volunteers gather tarps, inspectors check roofs and neighbors carry plywood to porches that need it most. Jose Garcia, chief executive officer of Rebuilding Together Greater Florida, leads that choreography so safety rises long before landfall and families can stay where memories live.
Over the last three years the organization has strategically grown to include Central Florida and Southwest Florida, with Jacksonville on deck. Growth followed a simple charge—protect low-income homeowners, especially seniors and people with disabilities, by pairing critical repairs with resilience upgrades. Teams replaced unsafe roofs, installed ramps, fortified windows and distributed preparedness materials that turn panic into plans. The mission reads like a checklist in motion: repair homes, revitalize communities, rebuild lives. Garcia insists that every project carry dignity, speed and proof that help arrived when it mattered.
Strength outside starts with strength inside. Garcia invested in technology that speeds intake and tracking, streamlined operations from assessment to closeout and built a diverse, skilled workforce ready for complex jobs. Many staff members started as volunteers or entry hires, then grew into specialists through training in construction, case management and project coordination. The future of work within the nonprofit blends credentialing, cross-training and practical digital tools so people make faster decisions with better information while maintaining a human connection at every doorstep.
Garcia convenes cities, county agencies, nonprofits and companies to pool resources where they move the needle. That collaboration funds roof replacements, accessibility modifications and hurricane retrofits for households that could never shoulder the cost. He measures success by the sound of a front door closing securely after repairs and by the relief in a caregiver’s voice when a ramp means a loved one can move safely again. A Titan 100 Honoree, Garcia channels recognition into momentum that attracts new allies and keeps volunteers returning for the next build.
The vision for the next five years is ambitious yet grounded. Rebuilding Together Greater Florida will become a statewide leader in affordable housing preservation and disaster recovery with a footprint that reaches deeper into rural areas where options are thin. The plan grows funding, expands training capacity and strengthens preparedness education so residents understand risks and act early. Data systems will map needs block by block and help direct help faster. Expansion into Northern Florida will extend impact while keeping local trust at the center of every decision.
Results already tell a clear story. The organization launched new programs, drew major gifts, earned national attention and secured awards including honors for collective impact. More importantly, thousands of residents remained in their homes at no cost because a team showed up with skill and care. Garcia takes pride in those quiet victories—a dry bedroom after a hard rain, a safer entry, a house that stands strong in heavy wind. Each improvement preserves stability for a family and progress for a neighborhood, which is exactly why this work endures.
