NEW YORK – (April 23, 2015) – A newly renovated Rochester house awaits a new family to make it a home. But in the meantime, a celebration of the project, the fundraising efforts, and building labor of a local group of certified public accountants, will happen May 1.
The New York State Society of CPAs’ (NYSSCPA) Rochester Chapter NextGen group, a committee of young accountants and new CPAs, and the Flower City Habitat for Humanity (FCHH) will host a celebratory open house at 44 Miller Street at 4 p.m. May 1. “The idea of rehabbing a home for a deserving local family encompasses our group’s mission of giving back to the community,” said Matt Taylor, the committee chairman of the NYSSCPA Rochester NextGen.
“There were a lot of volunteer hours from the local CPA profession and without the NextGen group’s leadership, the project would not have happened,” said Taylor, who is also director of the Permanent Placement Division at AP Professionals in Rochester.
The selection and naming of the house's new residents will be completed and announced soon FCHH said.
The non-profit Flower City Habitat for Humanity organization works with local volunteer groups, like NYSSCPA Rochester NextGen, to build and renovate lots and run-down properties that the City of Rochester makes available. Homes are built by volunteers who are trained and supervised by professional construction managers. The Rochester NextGen organized fundraisers and other social activities in 2014 to raise almost $40,000 for the renovation’s materials.
“Support from our community allows us to give hardworking Rochester families, who would otherwise be denied a traditional mortgage because they are on the lower-end of the income scale, a real chance at homeownership by bringing their family into the beginnings of the middle class,” said Matt Flanigan, president and CEO of Flower City Habitat.
The house will be sold through a no-profit mortgage to the to-be-announced low-income Rochester family said FCHH. As part of Habitat’s homebuyer program, the partner family that will purchase the home is required to invest a sweat equity “down payment” of labor hours assisting in the renovation, provide a nominal financial down payment and take educational classes in financial literacy and home maintenance.
The NYSSCPA launched its Next Generation (NextGen) program two years ago in an effort to support young CPAs and offer professional development services and relationship building opportunities.
The NextGen young professionals who volunteered on the project work at a number of Rochester-area CPA firms including Davie Kaplan CPA, P.C., Insero & Company, AP Professionals, Mengel Metzger Barr & Co. LLP, Flaherty Salmin CPAs, Kasperski Owen and Dinan CPAs, LLC, Rizzo DiGiacco Hern & Baniewicz CPAs, PLLC, The Bonadio Group, EFP Rotenberg, and Freed Maxick CPAs, P.C.
“It was refreshing to see different CPAs from different firms come together to improve city living conditions in the Rochester area,” said NYSSCPA President, Scott Adair.
About the NYSSCPA
Incorporated in 1897 and now representing more than 28,000 CPAs, the NYSSCPA is a not-for-profit organization that represents the issues, standards and public services efforts of certified public accountants who practice in New York State; encompassing all areas of public practice, government, education, business, and industry. Visit the Society’s website at nysscpa.org for more information.
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