Information: habitat-ncg.org
It was a different kind of Girls’ Night Out for 45 women who gathered together at the Lowe’s Home Improvement store in Woodstock on April 28. With the help of Lowe’s Heroes employee volunteers, these women joined Habitat for Humanity – North Central Georgia and wielded hammers, saws and nails under the stars to frame houses as part of Habitat for Humanity’s National Women Build Week.
From April 30 to May 8, National Women Build Week brought together more than 17,000 women to build or repair homes alongside 650 families, progressing toward Lowe’s and Habitat’s goal to help 1,000 families have safe, stable homes by the holidays. More than 300 Habitat locations hosted National Women Build Week activities this year, including new home construction and neighborhood revitalization projects.
The weeklong event created by the nonprofit’s Women Build program invites women to devote at least one day to help families build strength, stability and independence through housing. The week is meant to spotlight the homeownership challenges faced by women.
“Recognizing that the Habitat and Lowe’s partnership has made it possible to bring women together from all over their local communities to help support Habitat’s mission, the partnership expanded the concept this year by introducing the first-ever Girls Night Out events to leverage that support and increase awareness of the need for affordable housing,” said Habitat for Humanity – North Central Georgia CEO Russell E. Hayes.
The volunteers framed a mock-up of a 950-square-foot home in the parking lot of the Lowe’s store in Woodstock, which will remain up for three days.
Additionally, Habitat-North Central Georgia followed with a Women Build day on May 7. Volunteers from Habitat and Lowe’s helped to complete the landscaping on a home the affiliate is building in Woodstock for a single mom who was the victim of domestic abuse.
“We’re closely aligned with Habitat’s vision to create a world where everyone has a safe, affordable place to live. This year, we’ve set a goal together to help 1,000 families build or repair their homes by the holidays,” said Pati Ferrie, market director for Lowe’s.
National Women Build Week reinforces the message that every woman can make a difference through learning and using construction skills to build stability and self-reliance through shelter. More than 80,000 women from all 50 states have volunteered at the eight previous National Women Build Week events.
The largest partnership initiative between Habitat and Lowe’s, the event is dedicated to empowering women while helping families build or improve a place they can call home.
About the Author
