For the last 15 years, John Novak, a financial professional with MassMutual Greater Philadelphia, has volunteered with Corazon, a California-based organization building homes for deserving families in communities along the Mexican border.
John’s service to Corazon has earned the organization a $25,000 donation from the MassMutual Foundation as part of the 2023 Community Service Awards (CSA) program. Corazon will use the funds to build more houses for deserving families.
Corazon was founded more than 40 years ago by nuns who traveled from Orange County to Mexico to feed the hungry. Today, the organization builds 35-40 houses a year and provides programming for over 600 families.
Corazon works to strengthen community through three focus areas:
- Corazon Construction: Providing shelter, security, and hope.
- Corazon Youth: Building character and creating educational opportunities for youths in the program.
- Corazon Family and Community: Developing self-sufficient, safe, and nurturing communities.
From building homes, to training community members, to donating money to make the programs possible; Novak does it all. He’s even become a “blue shirt volunteer,” meaning he’s attended at least nine events in one calendar year and leads efforts on the building sites.
Novak joins a team of volunteers three to five times a year, for five-to-seven days at a time, to build homes, community centers, and schools.
“Often my colleagues ask me how I find the time to do what I do,” said Novak. “My answer is always, ‘How can I not?’ It's a blessing that I have time to give back. I want to leave the world better than I found it.”
Each year, the MassMutual Foundation awards grants — ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 — to help nonprofit organizations with which MassMutual financial professionals are involved.
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