Bradenton, FL (April 19, 2017) – Manatee County Habitat for Humanity and Brittany Holley, the future Habitat homeowner will work alongside Lowe’s volunteers and all-female construction crews for Habitat for Humanity’s 10th annual National Women Build Week, May 6-14. 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.
More than 17,000 women, including Lowe’s Heroes volunteers, are expected to volunteer at construction sites across the country as part of Habitat’s 2017 National Women Build Week.
Chief Melanie Bevan of the Bradenton Police Department and Dr. Carol Probstfeld, President of State College of Florida will be working on the house with Brittany on Thursday, May 11th. “We are pleased to have these two remarkable women supporting our Women Build 2017 and coming out to help build,” said Diana Shoemaker, Manatee Habitat Executive Director.
In Bradenton volunteers will work to install the ICF (Insulated Concrete Form) Block walls of the exterior of the house. This is the third time Manatee Habitat has held a Women Build and the first time in the City of Bradenton. Several women leaders in the community have plans to come out during this week including the Superintendent of Manatee County Schools, Diana Greene and the first female Clerk of the Court, Angel Colonneso. Kathy Shjarback, Habitat’s Women Build Team Leader has worked on the two previous Women Builds and looks forward to this one. “We have a lot of fun and everyone can learn something new and help build a house that will be sustainable for Brittany’s family,” Kathy said.
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. Lowe’s Heroes will be among more than twenty volunteers joining to help build decent, affordable housing in the Bradenton as part of National Women “Through our partnership with Habitat and support of National Women Build Week, Lowe’s empowers women to get involved in their communities, learn construction skills and make a meaningful impact,” said James Frison, Lowe’s director of community relations. “We’re grateful to all the women in Manatee County who will volunteer this week to help build and repair decent and affordable housing.” Lowe’s donated nearly $2 million to this year’s National Women Build Week, including a $5,000 store gift card to Manatee County Habitat for Humanity. 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 Manatee County Habitat for Humanity
Manatee County Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit, ecumenical, volunteer-based organization with the mission to develop resources, educate and mobilize people to work alongside families in need, rehabilitating existing homes and building sustainable, affordable homes, thereby improving the quality of life in Manatee County. For more information about Manatee Habitat visit www.manateehabitat.org.
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.