Eddie Barbosa is a fixture at New Orleans Habitat. A genial man who loves to laugh and work hard, he can regularly be found in the office or out on a build site with his crew. Over his years of being a subcontractor with NOAHH, he has become part of the Habitat family. Specializing in turnkey, residential work, his company GBM Builders is a perfect fit for the “from the ground up” Habitat homes.

Originally from Bahia, Brazil, Eddie found more familiarity in New Orleans than he expected such a long way from home. “I came here in March 2006, and I never left,” he said. “I got so comfortable—the weather, the food, the culture, the way people seem so friendly.” He decided not to return to Boston, where his time in the United States began. “I’m not going back to cold weather like that.”

Beyond the cultural familiarity Eddie found in New Orleans, he found a passion for building up his community. GBM Builders began working with Habitat in 2015. “After a year of working with Habitat and seeing what you’re doing, I adapted to the philosophy: help the community, do better for the community, bring the community together,” he said.

Even when he isn’t building Habitat homes, Habitat’s mission is part of his work: He shops the ReStore for building materials. Though he appreciates the discounted prices at the ReStores, for Eddie, Habitat’s mission makes the store stand apart.