Women Build kicking off summer full of projects

For immediate release:

What:
Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity is kicking off a summer of Women Build projects by repairing a single-mother’s St. Paul home. This A Brush with Kindness (ABWK) project is part of Habitat for Humanity’s national Women Build Week leading up to Mother’s Day. Lowe’s is generously supporting this work. More on Twin Cities Habitat Women Build

Where:
430 Warwick Street, St. Paul, MN 55105

When:
May 5: Kickoff event at 9am - volunteers from Lowe’s on site
May 6: Volunteers on site from Valspar
May 7: Community volunteers on site to finish project

Background information:
Approximately 10,000 female volunteers are expected to build at Habitat for Humanity sites in all 50 states as part of Women Build Week (April 30-May 8). Women Build recruits, educates and inspires women to build decent and affordable homes for low-income families in their communities.

Lowe’s, the underwriter of Habitat’s Women Build program, is awarding more than $1.3 million to over 250 Habitat affiliates across the country during this week of work. Twin Cities Habitat received a $5,000 in-store gift card from Lowe’s to support this ABWK project in St. Paul.

Women Build will be constructing two complete homes in the Twin Cities later this summer. The kickoff event for the first home at 836 Deppe Street in West St. Paul will be on Monday, June 6. Building will begin on the second home in Columbia Heights in mid-August.

Media contact:
Matt Haugen - matt.haugen@tchabitat.org - 612-387-8214
Communications Manager, Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity

About Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity
The mission of Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity is to eliminate poverty housing from the Twin Cities and to make decent, affordable shelter for all people a matter of conscience. An award-winning nonprofit housing developer, Twin Cities Habitat is committed to building the quality of life, health and economic prosperity of the region by producing, preserving and advocating for affordable homeownership – because homes and families are the foundation of successful communities. For more info, visit www.tchabitat.org.

ABWK is a program that helps preserve homeownership by partnering with homeowners struggling to restore and maintain a safe and decent place to live. When basic expenses exceed income month after month, home maintenance is the usual casualty. Years of deferred maintenance can cause a downward spiral of home deterioration and unsafe living conditions. ABWK mobilizes community volunteers who paint, landscape and make minor repairs to homes of low-income homeowners so they can continue to live in a safe, affordable and decent home.

About Lowe’s
Lowe’s supports the communities it serves through programs that focus on K-12 public education and community improvement projects. The company’s signature education grant program, Lowe’s Toolbox for Education, has brought more than $5 million in grants to K-12 public schools every year since its inception in 2005. Lowe’s Heroes employee volunteers support local community projects and our national nonprofit partners such as Habitat for Humanity International and the American Red Cross. In 2010, Lowe’s and the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation together contributed more than $30 million to support communities in the United States, Canada and Mexico. To learn more, visit Lowes.com/socialresponsibility.

About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has built, rehabilitated, repaired or improved more than 400,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than two million people. For more information, or to donate or volunteer, visit Habitat.org.