Larken Associates Volunteers Continue Tradition of Bringing Hope and Housing to Guatemala
Five-member team builds new home in Parramos and delivers essential donations
Branchburg, N.J. (December 3, 2025) – A five-person volunteer team from Larken Associates, a leading full-service commercial and residential real estate firm, recently returned from a volunteer mission in Guatemala, continuing the company’s partnership with From Houses to Homes, a local organization dedicated to providing sustainable housing, education and healthcare to impoverished Indigenous families.
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 this cycle of poverty by constructing durable homes and expanding educational opportunities through its Escuela Kemna’oj, a pre-K through 9th-grade school serving children whose families often lack access to formal education. Since its founding, the organization and its volunteers have built over 2,000 homes throughout the region.
Larken Associates President and CEO, David Gardner, has personally taken more than 15 trips to Guatemala and has encouraged team participation since 2019. To date, more than 30 Larken Associates employees have participated in the volunteer mission. Additionally, each year the company sponsors the education of two children at Escuela Kemna’oj and organizes a donation drive to directly support families, students, and local workers.
“Our team is proud to continue supporting From Houses to Homes and their life-changing mission,” said Gardner. “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.”
This year’s mission centered on a five-day home construction project in Parramos, Guatemala, where the team worked side-by-side with local builders to create a structurally sound and secure residence for a family in need. In addition to constructing the home, Larken volunteers distributed essential items including clothing, shoes, toys, toiletries, and school supplies. Additional donated items that could not be transported will be shipped to Guatemala in January 2026.
Donations were provided to the family receiving the home, students at Escuela Kemna’oj, and the construction team supporting the build. Throughout the week, volunteers also purchased water, food, snacks, and household necessities from small local stores to infuse money directly into the community.
“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.”
To learn more about From Houses to Homes or to make a donation, please visit https://www.FromHousestoHomes.org.
About Larken Associates
Larken Associates is a leading full-service commercial and residential real estate firm based in Branchburg, New Jersey. Leveraging 60 years of experience, their long-term ownership strategy and full suite of in-house capabilities brings great spaces to live and work to life. Across a diverse commercial portfolio spanning nearly four million square feet and 1,000 tenants across office, industrial, retail and mixed-use properties, and approximately 3,000 residential units across 20 unique communities with another 1,500 in the development pipeline, Larken Associates is deeply committed to the communities in which they work as well as the tenants and residents who call their buildings home. To learn more about Larken Associates, please visit us at https://www.larkenassociates.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram.
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