Building Strong Communities in Oklahoma... and Guatemala
November 26, 2025
Ideal Homes & Neighborhoods builds new homes across Oklahoma and strong, connected communities within them. And our community extends far beyond our neighborhoods. Caring for and supporting our neighbors experiencing homelessness or food insecurity has always been part of our mission to impact others near and far. Supporting our neighbors means those who live in Oklahoma, across the United States, and far beyond. This year we were fortunate to be able to extend that mission to Guatemala.
Recently, a team of 15 Ideal Homes & Neighborhoods employees and 11 of their family members traveled to Guatemala to build homes, serve the community, and partner with a local organization to feed and support Guatemalan families in need. In the process, they saw once again the importance of community and home.
The trip was not only life changing for the 26 participants and impactful for the people they served, but it also brought Ideal's promise of loving one another and our neighbors far beyond our company's immediate reach.
"Working for a company that invests in our communities with the same passion that we bring to building exceptional homes is a privilege in itself. But having the opportunity to serve in Guatemala alongside our team and families has been profoundly meaningful," says Steve Shoemaker, president of Ideal Homes & Neighborhoods. "I am truly grateful to the incredible owners of Ideal Homes & Neighborhoods for the chance to help families in Guatemala experience the safety, joy, and hope that comes with a new home and clean water."
The Ideal Homes & Neighborhoods team partnered with Life Guatemala, an organization dedicated to serving indigenous communities. During their week in the country, the team:
- Built and furnished two homes
- Put on a Vacation Bible School and served lunch for local children
- Delivered well covers
- Assisted with Life Guatemala education programs for children and job training for teens
“It was transformative,” said Sarah Harrington, director of human resources at Ideal Homes & Neighborhoods. “I initially went because I wanted to go outside my comfort zone and I wanted to serve others. I found that I grew as a person and I loved connecting with both the families in Guatemala and my co-workers' families.”
Loving Others in Action
One of the core values for Ideal Homes & Neighborhoods is showing God's love to others. That core value means there's a culture of commitment from everyone in the company to serve others with generosity and purpose.
That philosophy was lived out in Guatemala.
Life Guatemala poured the foundations of the two homes being built and the Ideal Homes & Neighborhoods teams focused on building everything else from the ground up.
“No one was too important to help, whether it was manual labor or making bracelets during Vacation Bible School,” said Samantha Mello, executive assistant to the Ideal Homes & Neighborhoods executive team. “Even with long nights and early mornings, everyone was flexible, humble, and willing to do what needed to be done.”
Loving One Another
Ideal Homes & Neighborhoods doesn’t just prioritize serving in other people’s homes and communities. Leadership also works to build a culture where team members are able to prioritize family and mental health. Whether that's setting the example that moms and dads attend their kids' school parties or going above and beyond to support team members during family crisis.
Loving one another is as important in the good times as the bad.
