PulteGroup’s Central Florida Team Creates Magic for U.S. Army Veteran

What began as what he believed was a final interview quickly turned into a life-changing moment for U.S. Army veteran Alejandro Candelaria and his family. Invited to the Amway Center for what he thought was a last step in the Built to Honor® selection process, Candelaria was instead greeted with an unforgettable surprise. The announcement that he will receive a new, mortgage-free Pulte home.

PulteGroup’s Built to Honor® program provides mortgage-free homes to veterans living with disabilities as a result of their military service.

“It was an emotional, powerful moment for all of us,” said Clint Ball, PulteGroup Central Florida Division President. “Alejandro has sacrificed so much in service to our country, and it’s our honor to give something meaningful back to him and his family. This home will be a place where they can build their future with security, hope and community.”

With the backdrop of the Orlando Magic’s electric atmosphere, more than 40 PulteGroup Central Florida employees, friends, and supporters gathered in a suite overlooking the court, waiting in quiet anticipation for Candelaria and his family to arrive. As soon as Candelaria realized this wasn’t an interview at all, the room shifted. Soft cheers, smiles, and heartfelt emotion filled the space as the family learned they had already been chosen as the next Built to Honor recipients.

The Candelaria family will soon put down roots in The Grow, Pulte’s one-of-a-kind agrihood community in Orlando. The Grow is an inviting neighborhood designed around gardens, preserved green space, vintage farmhouse-inspired architecture, and a lifestyle centered on connection and nature.

“Alejandro and his family are truly extraordinary, and it was an honor for all of us to be part of this moment,” said Blake Lapinsky, VP of Sales for the PulteGroup Central Florida Division. “They will be joining an incredible community at The Grow, a place filled with warmth, character and opportunity, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome them home.”

The surprise took place moments before tipoff. Setting the tone for a memorable night. And while the Orlando Magic clinched a win, the biggest victory belonged to the Candelaria and Pulte families.