A five-person volunteer team from Larken Associates recently returned from a volunteer mission in Guatemala, working alongside local builders to create a structurally sound and secure home for a family in need in Parramos while distributing essential items to residents. — Courtesy: Larken
By Joshua Burd
Larken Associates has completed its latest volunteer mission in Guatemala, extending its work with a local organization that provides vital services to impoverished Indigenous families.
The commercial and residential real estate firm, which is based in Branchburg, said a five-person team recently returned from the country after a five-day home construction project in Parramos. That included working alongside local builders to create a structurally sound and secure dwelling for a family in need, along with distributing essential items such as clothing, shoes, toys, toiletries and school supplies.
The trip was part of Larken’s long-running partnership with From Houses to Homes, which focuses on providing sustainable housing, education and health care to the families in need.
“Our team is proud to continue supporting From Houses to Homes and their life-changing mission,” said David Gardner, the firm’s CEO and president. “Each visit deepens our connection to the families and communities we serve in Guatemala. It is a privilege to help build safe, stable homes and contribute to meaningful change that extends far beyond the construction site.”
Gardner has personally taken more than 15 trips to Guatemala and has encouraged team participation since 2019, according to the firm. To date, more than 30 Larken Associates employees have participated in the volunteer mission, while the company each year sponsors the education of two children at Escuela Kemna’oj in Santa Maria de Jesús and organizes a donation drive to directly support families, students and local workers.
The firm noted that Guatemala remains one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, with more than half of its population living in poverty and Indigenous communities experiencing disproportionate hardship. Many families continue to rely on makeshift shelters made of cornstalks, metal sheets or other fragile materials, often without secure flooring or protection from the elements.
For more than 20 years, From Houses to Homes has worked to break the cycle of poverty by constructing durable homes and expanding educational opportunities through Escuela Kemna’oj, a pre-K through ninth-grade school serving children whose families often lack access to formal education, according to a news release. Since its founding, the organization and its volunteers have built more than 2,000 homes throughout the region.
This year, the Larken team provided donations to the family receiving the Parramos home, students at Escuela Kemna’oj and the construction team supporting the build, the news release said. Throughout the week, volunteers also purchased water, food, snacks and household necessities from small local stores to infuse money directly into the community.
Additional donated items that could not be transported will be shipped to Guatemala in January 2026.
“In some cases, these purchases can make a significant difference for the local businesses,” said Kelly Cammarata, executive administrator of Larken Associates and team leader for the 2025 volunteer mission. “It’s humbling to see how far a simple gesture, whether it’s a bag of groceries, school supplies, or even a treat for the children, can go in creating moments of joy and support.”
Larken Associates volunteer team returns from latest home-building mission in Guatemala
