Excel Construction of Florida has, once again, stood ten toes down on its commitment to uphold its company mission—“Stand for What Counts”—and give back to its community, announcing the launch of applications for its annual nonprofit grant earlier in June. Now in its second year, the grant program awards one deserving recipient—a nonprofit organization residing in Miami-Dade, Broward or Palm Beach County—a qualifying construction, renovation or beautification project valued at $15,000. On Aug. 17, in celebration of National Nonprofit Day, Excel announced Ann Storck Center, an organization dedicated to enriching the lives of children and adults with developmental disabilities, as the 2024 grant recipient.
“We really look for organizations that are in need and where we feel that our expertise would allow for the greatest impact,” says Eric Wolf, president and owner of Excel.
Last year, Excel transformed an indoor counseling space and kitchen for the 2023 grant recipient, FLITE Center, which serves youth and young adult survivors of human trafficking for all of Palm Beach County. The transformation provides a more conducive environment for the center’s important work—and serves as a beacon of hope for the survivors.
“When we went and did our first site visit after they were selected, we’re standing there, and it’s kind of like a cold dark room, and all I was picturing was all these kids or teenagers or women or men who are trying to escape,” Wolf says. “You know what they have going on in their life, and then they’re put in this dark room. I just felt like, oh, man, I wouldn’t feel any more relaxed here than where I was before. Once people saw where we were going with their transformation, they were just so happy and grateful. That’s where we saw the impact.”
After renovations on FLITE Center’s West Palm Beach location were finished, FLITE honored Excel with a Bridge Builder award in acknowledgement of the team’s outstanding transformation of the center. “It was the first one they’ve ever given out, and it shows what our impact did for that organization as a whole,” Wolf says.
Since taking over the company in 2016, Wolf has made Excel’s commitment to community outreach an even larger priority, ingrained into the company culture. “We’re straightforward. There’s no hidden games. It’s all about doing the right thing. It’s going to bed at night and knowing that you did everything you could and are doing it with integrity,” Wolf says. “Giving back to the community keeps us connected with them and allows our employees to feel part of something and do better.”
As a leading commercial construction company servicing the southeastern U.S., Excel is hopeful that other organizations will replicate its efforts. Applications for the grant quadrupled this year, demonstrating the need for just the sort of help contractors can offer. “I think as a general contractor, we impact the community so much with the buildings that we put in. I suggest not just partnering with nonprofits but really getting behind something that touches the culture and the employees.”
