WOMEN BUILD

“Investing in women is the surest way to end global poverty. In many poor countries, women produce the majority of the food supply and are more likely to spend their income on food, education and health care for their children. However, they face unequal barriers to lifting their families out of poverty: Women often work longer hours in the lowest-paid sectors, earn less stable incomes, and receive less training and have fewer economic opportunities than men.”
— Women Thrive Worldwide

What is Women Build?

Women Build aims to be the model program for engaging volunteers and partners to address challenges faced by women and children — lack of opportunity, training and education are three examples — close to home and around the world. In the United States, Women Build promotes the involvement of women in the construction of Habitat houses. About 450 Women Build projects a year provide an opportunity for 40,000 women to learn construction skills in a supportive environment, empowering them as they address the problem of substandard housing. Additionally, Women Build brings together women from all walks of life to advocate for affordable housing and safer, stronger communities. Globally, the Women Build program equips female heads of household with business skills, helping to stabilize their finances and ensuring they have decent, safe places to live.

Many enthusiastic women participated in Morris Habitat’s first Women Build days at the 29 Hazel Street project in Morristown in May 2015. Our second celebration of National Women Build Week was at the Harding Avenue project in Dover in May 2016. Women volunteered for additional Women Build days in Dover in July, August, October and December of 2016. In 2017, women continued their work in Dover during National Women Build Week in May and for additional days in Dover and at the Wallman Way project in Budd Lake and the Martin Luther King project in Morristown in July, August, October and December. National Women Build Week in May 2018 was at the Randall Avenue project in Mine Hill. Teams of women volunteered at the Monmouth Avenue project in Dover during National Women Build Week in March 2019.

Women volunteered during Lowe’s Women Build Day in March 2020 at the Main Street project. Women Build in May 2020 was replaced with a “She Nailed It!” virtual competition. During Women Build Month in May 2021, more than 110 volunteers worked on the Spruce Street project in Plainfield and the Parkway project in Jefferson and raised $1000 to purchase shrubs and trees for landscaping in Jefferson. Volunteers during Women Build Month in May 2022 constructed new homes at The Crossings at Bennett Avenue in Randolph and the Norwood Avenue project in Old Bridge. Over eight days of Women Build Week in May 2023, 148 volunteers worked side-by-side with Homeowners-in-Progress to put finishing touches on The Crossings at Bennett Avenue in Randolph and The Crossings at Morris Avenue in Summit.

View photo albums of the 2015 Women Build and the 2019 Women Build on Facebook >>