Valspar Ladies Help Kick-Off Second Women Build House of the Year

Though the build just began this past Monday, things are already starting to take shape in West Saint Paul, site of the second Women Build project this year. Women Build provides a unique approach to the Habitat for Humanity mission because women provide the funding and volunteer labor for an entire home build - from raising the first wall to landscaping. Valspar provided the woman-hours of work on Thursday. Valspar has a long history of partnering with Habitat for Humanity in many of its sites and projects around the world.

Team-leader Tracy, who also sits on the Women Build committee, loves that Valspar participates in numerous builds a year because it fits with the philanthropic culture of the company of promoting urban restoration and improving neighborhood housing. But what specifically makes a Women Build different? Tracy feels that it gives women a chance to do something that, many times, they wouldn't have an opportunity to do. Volunteers for Women Build at times come in unsure or intimidated by the know-how required to build a house, but they always leave with a new set of skills and an empowering sense that they can do anything they set their minds to. (Volunteer to become a team-leader here)

Katrina, another volunteer from Valspar, is a veteran of many builds with Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity. She loves that Women Build takes people out of their comfort zones. It is good for team-building and giving people at a big organization like Valspar a chance to meet and interact with people from different departments that don't usually work together, says Katrina. She does feel that this build is quite different, though, because she had never volunteered so close to the start date of the project. As you can see above, the house has already started to take shape in its three days. These women work fast!

Site Supervisor Katie hopes that the build will be finished by October, but it will be a bitter-sweet event, having spent so much time in this friendly and supportive environment. Though Katie has been a site supervisor for three and a half years, this is her first Women Build. It won't be her last if she has her say though!