One of South Florida’s homegrown NFL stars traded in his helmet for a hardhat over the weekend.
Philadelphia Eagles Pro Bowl cornerback and two-time Super Bowl Champion Asante Samuel helped build a house for a single mother, a cause close to his heart.
“This new home will start a new chapter in our lives of stability and peace,” said Nicole Dukes, who invested a whole bunch of sweat equity into her new Liberty City home on Saturday.
Samuel started his Bring it Home Single Moms Foundation to provide low-income single mothers with the opportunity of affordable home ownership. The concept was inspired by Samuel’s own experiences, growing up the son of a single mom and seeing the sacrifices single mothers make to provide their children with better opportunities.
“The building of this first home, as well as the creation of the foundation, is a tribute to my mother, Christine,” he said. “Our aim is to provide homes for single mothers who faced similar challenges as the ones she had."
Samuel teamed up with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Miami on the project.
“We are honored that Asante has chosen to partner with Habitat,” said CEO Mario Artecona. “Asante is drawing from his own experience to help the lives of others."
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Samuel, a product of Boyd Anderson High School in Lauderdale Lakes, not only swung a hammer on Saturday, but also dropped off a $25,000 check for the Miami Habitat office.
The home is a huge score for Dukes and her two children.
“My daughter and son will have their own room, something I never had as a child,” she said.
