Over 50 women volunteers came out in Dorchester and Talbot Counties for Habitat for Humanity’s 10th annual National Women Build Week, May 6-14. The all-women construction crews worked alongside five women home buyers who are currently partnering with Habitat Choptank toward the goal of buying a home of their own with an affordable mortgage.
Habitat’s National Women Build Week invites women to help make a difference and devote at least one day to help build decent and affordable housing in their local communities. Locally, Habitat Choptank hosted three work days. The first was a neighborhood revitalization project at the Easton home of a woman veteran. Day two and three were on Habitat build sites. Working with Rhodana Fields as construction supervisor, the volunteers tackled exterior framing on a new 2-story house on Port Street in Easton. In Cambridge, at the Oakley Street house, they installed flooring. A highlight of the week was seeing home buyer Lolita Corsey complete the provisional savings and sweat equity goals which allowed her to choose the property that she will buy. She accepted a 3-bedroom house on Mace’s Lane in Cambridge that Habitat Choptank is rehabbing.
Lowe’s helped launch National Women Build Week in 2008 to empower women to advocate for affordable housing and spotlight the homeownership challenges faced by many. Each year, Lowe’s provides the support of their employee volunteers, Lowe’s Heroes, and conducts how-to clinics at stores to teach volunteers construction skills so they can feel equipped to take part in the builds.
“Through our partnership with Lowe’s, women are empowered to get involved in their communities, learn construction skills and make a meaningful impact,” said Nancy Andrew, executive director of Habitat Choptank. “We’re grateful to all the women who volunteered in Easton and Cambridge with our National Women Build Week activities to help build decent and affordable housing and to rejuvenate an existing home owned by a local veteran.”
Lowe’s donated nearly $2 million to this year’s National Women Build Week, including a $5,000 store gift card to Habitat Choptank. Since 2003, Lowe’s has committed more than $63 million to Habitat’s mission and helped more than 6,500 families improve their living conditions.
Habitat’s first Women Build event was held in 1998. Since then, all-women construction crews have helped build more than 2,500 homes in partnership with families.
For more information on Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build program and to learn about Women Build events in communities across the U.S. year-round, visit Habitat.org/wb.
About Habitat for Humanity Choptank
Since 1992, Habitat Choptank has made home ownership possible for 72 families and currently partners with nine local home buyers. Six homes are under construction at this time with plans to start at least six more over the coming year. Income qualifying home buyers are offered access to affordable mortgage financing in order to purchase a new construction or rehabbed home from the nonprofit’s project inventory of durable and energy efficient homes. After completing “sweat equity” hours, attending pre-homeownership classes, and meeting debt reduction and savings goals, these individuals and families will purchase homes that they helped construct and assume the full responsibilities of home ownership including maintaining their home, paying property taxes and repaying their mortgage over 30 to 33 years. Habitat accepts applications for its home ownership program throughout the year. To donate, volunteer or apply for Habitat Choptank’s home buying program, visit habitatchoptank.org or call 410-476-3204.
About Habitat for Humanity International
Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity began in 1976 as a grassroots effort on a community farm in southern Georgia. The Christian housing organization has since grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in nearly 1,400 communities throughout the U.S. and in more than 70 countries. Families and individuals in need of a hand up partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, visit habitat.org.
About Lowe’s in the Community
Lowe’s, a FORTUNE® 50 home improvement company, has a 60-year legacy of supporting the communities it serves through programs that focus on K-12 public education and community improvement projects. In the past decade, Lowe’s and the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation together have contributed nearly $300 million to these efforts, and for more than two decades Lowe’s Heroes volunteers have donated their time to make our communities better places to live. For the latest news, visit Newsroom.Lowes.com or follow @LowesMedia on Twitter.
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