POMPANO BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - The legacy of WSVN owner Ed Ansin helped open doors for dozens of South Florida families with dreams of having their own homes, thanks to his longtime contributions to Habitat for Humanity.
Ansin, who passed away over the weekend at age 84, gave generously to Habitat for Humanity of Broward for more than a quarter of a century.
“There’s just a hole. We will miss him so very much,” said Nancy Robin, CEO of Habitat Broward.
Ansin helped build one of the largest Habitat communities in the nation in Pompano Beach.
7News captured Robin walking down Ansin Street in the Pompano community on Monday.
She remembers how difficult it was to start the project.
“We could not get it off the ground,” she said.
Ansin gave $500,000 — a donation that was matched by Rick and Rita Case.
With that, the nine-acre, 77-home project, the first of its kind, was underway.
“A Rick Case Habitat community was formed, and we were off to the races,” said Robin.
7News cameras captured Ansin at the groundbreaking ceremony nearly 10 years ago.
“It’s unusual. Normally it’s a house at a time. Now you have 77 families who can have a nice new home,” said Ansin at the time.
Edna Demps-McKinney is one of those homeowners.
“He’s the one who gave me the key and said, ‘Congratulations,'” she said. “He was just so proud of us, and I’m very happy that I had the chance to meet him.”
Once just an empty field, Ansin and others saw a neighborhood where children could ride their bicycles and families could be raised.
“And they did that; he really did. He made us a community park. My children come out and play football,” said Demps-McKinney. “We’re all a family around here, and he was part of that.”
And part of that he will remain, because the work he started at the Pompano Beach community will live on.
Robin said Ansin will always be a part of Habitat for Humanity.
“Ed had a way of making you want to do more. Where you would think there were obstacles, he saw possibilities,” she said.
WSVN is proud to be a longtime sponsor of Habitat for Humanity.
Habitat for Humanity of Broward County
www.habitatbroward.org
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Miami
www.miamihabitat.org
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.