One year ago, the idea of taking the reins at Broward House would have seemed like a dream job. A well-run organization making a true impact in the community, it was a “turnkey” opportunity.
Then came the nightmare. April 12, 2023, saw more than two feet of rain dropped on an already saturated Broward County. Like much of the county, Broward House’s campus was underwater. It looked bad, and when the water receded it looked even worse.
Their headquarters had to be gutted and staff only got back inside this month. Executive Director Stacy Hyde stayed on a few months longer than she planned to oversee the rebuild and get the organization through the tough times.
In December, she handed over the job to Nicole Burrell who, despite the nightmare, still considers it a dream job.
“The idea before the flood would have been okay, coming in with little things to do here and there, but not a lot,” Burrell said. “With the flood, we had so much construction. In the first two months, it was construction that I’ve undertaken. We still have work. It’s an interesting place to start.”
True to their mission to help people with HIV and other chronic health issues, Broward House tends to forego cosmetic upgrades in order to get as much money as possible to clients. The flood forced them to make long delayed renovations.
“Clients that see the facility are amazed at what it looks like. When they come in, they see this beautiful facility. Most are coming in off the streets, and to walk into a facility that looks like anywhere you want to be is great.”
When you walk in, it has that “new” smell, a blend of fresh paint and construction. With the construction finally winding down, Burrell is focused on outreach and honoring the mission.
“The sentiment is that we’ve done things quietly, and we get the job done. It’s not about being in the public eye or being loud. It’s about getting the right people to see what we do and understand there is so much need and that we are here to continue.”
Broward House will be dealing with debt from the flood for a while. But Burrell says their grant funding will keep client services on track.
“Our grants are for helping clients. Once we get them in, grants will pay for clients at the assisted living facility. When it comes to the flood expenses, it’s something we’re working to make sure we continue to fundraise and ask for donations.”
Some days, Burrell, and her team work around the clock and long days won’t stop anytime soon. They are preparing their team for the AIDS Walk in March and Dining Out For Life in April. Dining Out was scheduled the day after the flood last year and had to be canceled. Losing that fundraiser only added insult to injury. The event is back April 24, and Burrell encourages people to visit participating restaurants all day.
“You can go to Starbucks in the morning, have lunch and dinner at any of the restaurants, then go somewhere for dessert.”
