Click here to support Women Build right now!
Women Build 2008 – Women Building a Better Community is a unique Habitat project embracing the empowerment of women taking an active role to change their communities together. Women Build, as a national campaign for Habitat for Humanity International, is one of many projects across the nation bringing women of all walks of life together to build a home in partnership with a family in need. However, this Women Build goes the extra mile! Through a special partnership the Hampden County Women’s Correctional Facility, Women Build 2008 will do more than provide women an active role and voice in change; it will provide low-risk incarcerated women the opportunity to learn building skills through onsite job training in the construction trade, ensuring them skills to change their own lives when entering back into mainstream society.
Women Build projects provide more than a house for a family in need, the project provides participating women the opportunity to gain skills sets in construction and gain confidence through the exposure to a non-traditional career field. Although women typically comprise 50% of Habitat’s volunteers, they represent less than 15% of the all local construction volunteers. Additionally, women represent less than 2% of the national construction trade industry. Funding from partners throughout the community, including The Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts provide the necessary financial support to give women the opportunity to put their hands into action for their community.
What is Women Build?
A national campaign for Habitat for Humanity bringing women of all walks of life together to build a home in partnership with a family in need.
Why a Women Build?
To empower women by providing a non-threatening environment in which they can learn and use building skills while creating safe, decent housing for a Habitat partner family.
What’s special about this Women Build?
Through a special partnership with the Hampden County Women’s Correctional Facility, Women Build 2008 will do more than provide women an active role and voice in change; it will provide low-risk incarcerated women the opportunity to learn building skills such as carpentry, dry-walling, painting, etc. and have a marketable trade to help them change their own lives.
What’s the plan?
Project kicks off Mother’s Day weekend 2008
Planned dedication one year later – Mother’s Day weekend 2009
Women Build 2008 in Partnership with:
Hampden County Women's Correctional Facility & Sheriffs Department
The Women Build Steering Committee:
Linda Adams
Deborah Andrews
Debra Boronski
Sarah Bourbeau
Lori Eldridge
Dawn Henry
Cindy Jackson
Denise LaFountain
Kelly LaVoie
Dawn McDonald
Ryanne Nixon
Bobbie Pitkin
Patty Riso
Joy Roman
Jean SaVarese
