TCHFH set to participate in 7th Annual National Women Build Week

In the days leading up to Mother’s Day, crews of women volunteers will be scraping, priming and painting the home of Sheila Nash; raising both ladders and hope for her and her family.

Sheila has been living in her home for 22 years. After being laid off from her job, she has struggled to find work at her age and with her physical disabilities. Due to her limited income and disabilities, Sheila has been unable to keep up with the maintenance of her home. She is extremely grateful for the help that ABWK and National Women Build Week volunteers will provide to keep her home safe and looking nice.

This project will begin on Wednesday, May 7 and continue through Saturday, May 10. Volunteer opportunities are still available. Register online at www.tchabitat.org/signup.

Developed through the partnership between Lowe’s and Habitat for Humanity International, National Women Build Week challenges women to devote at least one day to the effort to eliminate poverty housing. The Mother’s Day timeframe was selected for its significance to many volunteers, as families with children make up a staggering number of those in need of adequate housing: more than 16 million children – one in five – live in poverty housing in the US alone.

Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity empowers women as homeowners, volunteers and philanthropists by offering opportunities to leverage their strengths and resources. In so many ways, affordable housing is a women’s issue. A quarter of our homebuyers are single women raising children; virtually all homebuyers are families including mothers and children. National Women Build Week is the kick-off for Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build program; a group that attracts women from all walks of life to make a profound difference for families and the community. The group is set to build two homes in 2014; one in Minneapolis (starting May 19th - August 8th), and one in Dakota County (starting September 30th - November 1st).

Since 2009, Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity has organized an A Brush With Kindness project in celebration of National Women Build Week. Past projects have been held in Minneapolis, St. Paul and Brooklyn Park. Over 250 women have volunteered on these projects.