![Whitney Dinu will serve as the Executive Director of the newly expanded branch of Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas, West Pasco, and Hernando Counties. [Courtesy photo]](https://www.hernandosun.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Whitney.jpg "Whitney")
On August 15, the Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas, West Pasco, and Hernando Counties announced the hiring of Whitney Dinu as Executive Director. According to a press release from the organization, Dinu will “lead advocacy efforts” and “build community relationships” in the nonprofit’s newly expanded service area of Hernando County.
The new executive director is a fifth-generation resident of the county and brings more than 15 years of experience in community engagement, marketing, and talent acquisition to the organization. Habitat feels that her extensive portfolio in client solutions and building relationships while working with ServPro, Kforce, and a private equity firm will “allow her to make impactful, lasting connections between the County and Habitat,” the announcement added.
As the Hernando Sun had noted in one of our previous editions in April, the burgeoning Habitat chapter was chosen by Habitat for Humanity International to expand its services into the area. The nonprofit affiliate recently purchased a plot of land at 9504 Spring Hill Drive, as they will not be moving back into the location in Brooksville that was once inhabited by a former Habitat branch. They look to break ground on the new location “in the coming weeks.”
Dinu’s other responsibilities will see the new Executive Director working closely with president and CEO Mike Sutton to “identify and execute growth opportunities and develop strategic alliances to further the Habitat mission in Hernando County and surrounding areas,” the release stated. Much of her role will be dependent on her collaboration with those within and without her organization.
She will work with the rest of the executive leadership at Habitat to create a Hernando Leadership Council and serve on Habitat’s leadership team to help provide oversight in the process. The council will include community members who are willing to advocate for the nonprofit organization, engage stakeholders in Habitat’s mission, and spread awareness of their homeownership program.
To qualify for one of the group’s homes, which are constructed by volunteers and the future homes’ owners, candidates must earn between 30 and 80 percent of the area’s median income and finance with a zero-interest loan. They must also be willing to participate with Habitat to complete a “robust” set of homeowner education courses in addition to “sweat equity” hours totaling between 350 and 450 hours.
The finances from mortgages are used to fund further construction, which means that every donation to Habitat fuels “a perpetual legacy to the community,” it stated. Habitat feels that homeownership is critical to the public as it “contributes to family stability, leading, in turn, to community stability.”
Any citizens or prospective homeowners wishing to know more about the nonprofit can call (727) 536-4755 or visit their website at www.habitatpwp.org.
