“Women Build” represents projects under the auspices of Habitat for Humanity of Winchester-Frederick County, Virginia, built entirely by women. Fundraising and volunteer recruitment efforts have resulted in a ground swell of women from all over the region and from all walks of life who have signed up for Women Build projects. Initial Women Build projects have been built on property donated by Beverley Shoemaker of Bowman-Shoemaker, developers of the West Wynd residential community in Stephens City, Virginia. The fundraising, organizing and construction efforts involve hundreds of women led by a Steering Committee of volunteer women professionals.

The Family
Each home built by Habitat for Humanity is dedicated to a family in need. These families work along side of volunteers during the build, and pay for the home through a no-interest loan arranged through Habitat for Humanity.

Single mother, Remella Brown, lives with her daughters, Tatyana, 10 and Tyazia, 3 in a tiny, expensive apartment. Brown endeavors to provide a solid loving home life for her girls despite limited income and inadequate living space. In 2008, driven by a desperate need for a safe, secure and affordable home for her children, Brown applied for and was accepted by the Habitat for Humanity program. She and her two daughters will be the recipient of the Women Build 2009 home.

Brown currently works in the Winchester Public School system through Family Preservation Services, a program designed to mentor adolescents with behavioral problems thus enabling them to continue living with their families.

Prior to her experience in the public school system, Brown worked for 10 years at Grafton School, a live-in facility and alternative education program for troubled youth. She plans to continue her career as an advocate for teens while using her knowledge and skills to raise her daughters in a nurturing, safe environment.

Women Build 2009 Project Schedule:
(subject to change)
January/February – Develop Steering Committee
February – Start Fundraising Campaign
March – Start Volunteer Recruitment Campaign
July – Gear-up for Volunteers
August – Begin Construction
December – Home Dedication to Family

Brief Women Build History

The first Habitat house built entirely by women in the U.S. was in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1991. The Women Build program became so successful that Habitat for Humanity International opened its Women Build Department in 1998. More than 1,000 Habitat Women Build homes have been built around the world in 14 countries since 1991.

Vision and Mission

The largest segment of our worldwide population living in poverty are children, most of whom are homeless or living in substandard housing.

The agenda of the Women Build program is “to work toward the elimination of poverty housing one home, one family at a time.” The mission of the Women Build program is “to work through local affiliates to nurture, recruit and train women to build simple, healthy, and affordable houses.”

Women Build:

* promotes the involvement of women in the construction of Habitat homes.
* provides opportunities for women to learn about construction in a supportive environment.
* empowers women as they address the problem of substandard housing.
* is not about excluding men. It’s about including women and opening doors to opportunity so we can discover our capacity to build homes and move children out of poverty.

Women Build 2009 Steering Committee

Chair
Shawn Reiser

Chair, Publicity
Jan E. Lower, Owner, Sharp Marketing Initiatives

Chair, Sponsorship & Gifts
Jacqueline DeLuca

Chair, Volunteer & Hospitality Coordination
Chris Cochran

Blog Master, Webmaster & Online Resource
Anne B. Falcetano

Staff, Habitat for Humanity of Winchester-Frederick County
Cheryl Connolly, Executive Director

Joan Weiss, Development Director

Jan Lower, Volunteer Coordinator