Taking the challenge: National Women Build Week daily diary

A report from the final day as National Women Build Week comes to a close!

Welcome to the National Women Build Week daily diary! The links at right contain first-hand reports from a handful of the hundreds of Women Build projects held across the United States, May 2-10, 2009.

This was our second annual National Women Build Week, sponsored by Lowe’s. I can’t describe how excited I am that we had more than 7,000 volunteers join in the fun this year – yes, including avid Habitat supporter Trisha Yearwood. But also mothers and daughters. Grandmothers. Sisters. Neighbors. Friends. And strangers soon to be friends!

That’s one of the best things about the Women Build program – it draws volunteers, donors and advocates from all backgrounds. We’ve even drawn the support of Lowe’s, underwriter of the Women Build program. In addition to financial support, Lowe’s stores offer construction clinics for our volunteers – and Lowe’s employees frequently volunteer their own time to help on our build sites.

This year, I’m proud that we were able to use this space to bring you personal stories from a few of the women involved in this year’s National Women Build Week. Behind every spectacular highlight in the history of the Women Build program, there is a staffer at an affiliate or a volunteer at a build making it happen.

I hope you enjoy reading the diary entries. Each day features new reports from Habitat affiliates throughout the U.S. – written by Women Build volunteers, affiliate staff members and others involved in the week.

While you’re here, be sure to take a look around the Women Build Web site. National Women Build Week is, of course, a huge event for us. But Women Builds take place all year at Habitat affiliates and national organizations worldwide.

Learn more by browsing the pages around the Women Build Web site (don’t forget to check out our new photo slideshow!). You can always search for a Women Build close to you by checking out our “Find Women Build Events” database. If there isn’t a Women Build going on near you, find your local affiliate and ask them about starting one!

All of us involved with the Women Build program always look forward to this fantastic run-up to Mother’s Day! Thanks again to all Habitat’s affiliates, Women Build crews and Lowe’s stores across the nation that make this week such a meaningful time for so many of our partner families.


Sincerely,

Lisa Marie Nickerson
Associate director, Women Build department
Habitat for Humanity International