Unsung Heroes Awards Dinner

On Thursday, April 3, 2025, friends of HabiJax gathered in the Great Hall of the Jessie Ball duPont Center in downtown Jacksonville for dinner and a celebration of 17 “Unsung Heroes.” A capstone event during Leaders Week 2025, the Unsung Heroes Award Dinner was also supported by Habitat for Humanity International as part of April’s “Home Is the Key” campaign.

An Unsung Hero is someone who has changed HabiJax for the better. These individuals consistently go above and beyond for the mission, often without receiving the recognition they deserve. Nominated by HabiJax staff, board members, and key leaders, these men and women lead by example as they put God’s love into action for others.

A few Unsung Heroes who could not attend are not pictured – their awards were presented to them in person at a later date. In addition to these awards, two received an extra surprise as the first inductees into the HabiJax Hall of Fame. Mary Kay O’Rourke served HabiJax as President and CEO for more than 15 years and retired in the midst of the COVID pandemic when health protocols did not allow her friends and coworkers to publicly celebrate her impact. Angela Leatherbury served HabiJax as our COO, first joining the team as an AmeriCorps member more than 20 years earlier. Her career transition also occurred during COVID. All those gathered felt great joy at seeing them again and publicly acknowedging them as remarkable HabiJax heroes.

See the event page for more info on all of our Unsung Heroes.