Doris and Neil are honored to be recognized alongside so many fine people who dedicate their time and talent to giving back to our community.
Doris grew up in the Pittsburgh area and attended the University of Pittsburgh and Chatham University, majoring in social work before she began raising her two daughters, Lauren and Abby. Later she combined her love of interior design with her entrepreneurial spirit and opened Fine Things, a home accessories store with two locations in Boca Raton and Delray Beach. Neil hails from New York and served six years in the U.S. Army Reserves before he was honorably discharged in 1976 and began managing his family-owned construction business. He moved to South Florida in 2004, and was inspired by Doris to get involved in local charities.
When it comes to strengthening their communities, Doris and Neil strongly believe that enduring support begins not with a check, but with a relationship.
Doris and Neil have partnered with dozens of charities in Boca Raton and Pittsburgh and have built their volunteerism and philanthropy around being deeply engaged in the organizations to which they commit. The impact of the Gillman’s include causes that serve children, veterans, and animals. In South Florida, they worked closely with Florence Fuller Child Development Centers to construct much-needed new facilities, with the Caridad Center to outfit a new pediatric dental surgery room, with Boca Raton Regional Hospital to provide support for new parents in need, and with Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League. The couple has also served on local charitable boards; Doris with Boca Helping Hands, and Neil with the Boca West Children’s Foundation.
Doris and Neil also support Sweet Dream Makers’ mission to provide beds to children and families in need. In the past three years, with their help, Sweet Dream Makers has delivered more than 3,500 beds right here in Palm Beach County, and is poised to soon expand. They credit the organization’s approach to relationships as a key factor to its success, and say that, “being involved with Sweet Dream Makers feels like we are a family doing amazing things to help other families.”