9-year-old Grayson Roberts will eventually lose his eyesight, despite multiple surgeries and before that happens, it’s his dream to see the world. Raising money through lemonade stands in his home state of California, our Sarasota Community Sales Manager, Molly Whalen, stumbled across his story on TikTok and instantly felt a connection, as she was born legally blind in her left eye.

To Build Joy this holiday season, Molly invited Grayson and his family to her Airbnb (which she decorated with a beach theme) to see the beautiful beaches of Siesta Key. While in town, Molly and our Sarasota Team recreated Grayson's special lemonade stand in the park within our Skye Ranch community, raising money to go toward his destination fund, coordinated a boat outing, visit to the Kennedy Space Center, a plane ride and plenty of beach time. 

Understanding the personal hardship that comes with having a baby at the NICU, Staff Accountant Jessica put together care packages for parents of babies staying at the Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. With no place for parents to stay at the hospital, Jessica and her team gifted $1,000 in meal delivery cards, gas gift cards and breastfeeding supplies to make it easier for parents commuting to and from the NICU. “Navigating the NICU world was scary, lonely and uncertain. You truly don't know what you need in those moments. Even when you have a support system, it can be difficult to know what to ask for and many people don't know how much small items like dish soap, milk bags, gas cards or meal cards can really help ease the burden.”

There’s nothing like surprising those who are less fortunate with toys and food to help make the holiday season extra special. That’s what our Portland Architectural Manager, Amy Russell and team, set out to accomplish. With a day dedicated to shopping for presents on childrens’ wish lists and purchasing food, Amy delivered these packages of love to families in need. And it’s all through the non-profit organization, Santa’s Posse, which is where the Sheriff’s Office and local community work together to collect and distribute toys and food for families who are less fortunate. 

Post Closing Auditor Wandita used her $1,000 in Build Joy money to support the Animal Coalition of Tampa, an affordable veterinarian service in her community. She delivered a car full of dog food, treats, cat litter, fleece blankets and $500 to help pay off vet bills for local pets. “I see the pride the staff takes when seeing their patients, and the sadness when a patient is not doing well. They show compassion and care to all.”

To Build Joy, Marketing Specialist Tina and her husband, Kyle, alongside team Houston, supported the Thrive Library Project. Their son attends the Thrive Center for Success, which is an autism-focused school, and they learned they didn’t have a library on campus. The team delivered 565 books, provided new furniture and purchased a thermal binding machine and barcode scanner system and presented the library with a monetary donation.

Our Charlotte Vice President of Sales, Brooke Moore, and Community Sales Manager, Cathy Whiteside,  are building joy by supplying much-needed appliances to Indian Land Middle School’s Home Economics kitchen. Brooke, Cathy and our Sales team shopped and delivered sewing machines and are working with our vendor partner, GE, to help donate mixers and microwaves.       
“This is a fantastic program for middle school students in the area to learn a range of basic life skills,” said Whiteside. “Supporting this class through Build Joy is such a great way to help a teacher furnish her classroom to better educate children in the area, many of whom live in Taylor Morrison communities."

With a big heart for helping homeless and underprivileged children, Wende Moyer will Build Joy by ensuring children in her community have beds to sleep in. Partnering with the Houston chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace—a nonprofit organization that builds and delivers bunk beds to children who don’t have their own to sleep in—Wende and several members of our Houston Division will sponsor a build.

Marketing Manager Jenna and Design Consultant Connie teamed up to Build Joy for foster children in Atlanta. They used their $1,000 to support FosterCares, a local non-profit that provides free clothes and toys to children in the community. More than 20 team members from the Atlanta Division helped volunteer at the distribution center and donated over 200 new clothing pieces to foster kids in the community.

The holidays can be lonely for veterans staying at the Southern Nevada State Veterans Home in Boulder City, NV. Roughly 80% of the residents have zero contact with family or loved ones. Equipped with $1,000 in Build Joy funds, IT Field Systems Infrastructure Jerry threw a bingo and donut party and donated clothing and care items for veterans in need. “This gives our honored veterans something to look forward to and hopefully provides a sense of joy towards the end of the year when most families are getting together to celebrate the holidays.”

While working alongside Master Carpenter, Tommy Chester, on a Taylor Morrison job site, our Charlotte Senior Superintendent, Hope MacRonald, discovered that he retired from teaching carpentry at Mooresville High School and that he taught her son in several carpentry classes in the past. To Build Joy, Hope provided a carpentry class, with not only a $1,000 donation for much-needed supplies, but also a presentation around what a career in construction looks like.   

“It was incredibly touching to bring Tommy back to the high school he taught at for so many years to deliver a check to students for new equipment,” said MacRonald. “The class was such an important part of his life and it’s inspiring that this donation will help fuel a passion for a new generation of students and bring construction to the forefront of the department.” 

Hope plans to continue to Build Joy into 2024, as she is planning to coordinate a field trip for students to visit a Taylor Morrison jobsite. Additionally, she’s working with Tommy’s trim company for material donations for the students to practice with.