National Women Build Week

Read about all the 2009 action in the National Women Build Week daily diary!
Find out what the media had to say in the Women Build newsroom!

Thanks to all those who made Habitat’s second annual National Women Build Week such a success in 2009. We’re already looking forward to 2010 so keep your eyes peeled to get involved!

The event, sponsored by Lowe’s, took place May 2–10, 2009. More than 200 affiliates across the United States hosted Women Build days during the week leading up to Mother’s Day.

Recording artist Trisha Yearwood helped launch this year’s weeklong event, building with women volunteers in her adopted hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. She wrapped up the final weekend of the event building with women volunteers in Atlanta, near her hometown of Monticello, Georgia.

Developed through the partnership between Lowe’s and Habitat for Humanity, National Women Build Week challenges women to devote at least one day to the effort to eliminate poverty housing. The event is an initiative of Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build program, underwritten by Lowe’s, which brings women from all walks of life together to learn construction skills and then use those skills to build simple, decent affordable houses.

Volunteer during National Women Build Week
Across all 50 states, more than 7,000 women volunteers are building at more than 200 Habitat for Humanity construction sites.

We appreciate the work of our local affiliates and volunteers and area already looking forward to the successes of National Women Build Week 2010! We would like to encourage those who volunteered during National Women Build Week to stay involved. Sign up to participate in your local affiliate’s next Women Build project, and become an active advocate for Habitat’s mission.

National Women Build Week helps Habitat serve more families
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 12 million children—one in six—live in poverty housing in the United States alone. To date, Women Build crews have built more than 1,400 Habitat houses nationwide.

We couldn’t do it without Lowe’s
In addition to sponsoring special events like National Women Build Week, Lowe’s underwrites the overall Women Build program. Employees at Lowe’s stores also conduct How-To clinics for our women volunteers. These clinics teach new construction skills that our volunteers can use to help us eliminate poverty housing. By 2013, Lowe’s will have contributed nearly $40 million to Habitat for Humanity. Lowe’s is committing $875,000 to National Women Build Week 2009 as part of its current five-year pledge to Habitat.

Find a Women Build project
Search for upcoming Women Build events where you live. You can search the “Women Build” event listings by state, region or date.

Find your local Habitat affiliate
Search for the Habitat affiliate nearest you to find out if they have any upcoming Women Build events.

National Women Build Week in the news
During National Women Build Week 2009, more than 7,000 women volunteers participated on Habitat work sites across all 50 states. Check out the Women Build newsroom for a sampling of stories about National Women Build Week 2009 from media outlets all over the United States.