Habitat's National Women Build Week: 17,000 Women Building Homes

Women volunteers gathered on Friday in 10 cities -- including Atlanta -- across the U.S. for a different kind of Girls' Night Out.

With the help of Lowe's Heroes employee volunteers, they were wielding hammers, saws and nails under the stars to frame houses as part of Habitat for Humanity's National Women Build Week. 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.

Through May 8, National Women Build Week will bring 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 will host National Women Build Week activities this year, including new home construction and neighborhood revitalization projects.

"Every helping hand makes a difference and we're thrilled thousands of women across the country are generously volunteering their talent and time during Habitat's National Women Build Week to help families in their local community have a decent place to call home," said Lisa Marie Nickerson, associate director of Habitat for Humanity International's Women Build program.

National Women Build Week encourages social volunteerism, a trend that ranks highly among women, as 94 percent report that volunteering is a fun way to spend time with friends, according to a new survey conducted by Lightspeed GMI Research. In fact, 70 percent of women responded in the survey that they would rather volunteer than go to a spa. The survey also found:

• 87 percent of women enjoy volunteer work that teaches them a new skill.
• However, 75 percent said they avoid construction-related volunteering because they feel they lack the skills.

"Throughout the week, Lowe's and Habitat for Humanity teach women volunteers the necessary construction skills through how-to clinics and empower them to use those new skills while working alongside Habitat families," said Erin Sellman, Lowe's senior vice president of strategy, insights and planning. "It is powerful to see women from Lowe's and communities rally together in an effort that brings us more than three-quarters of the way toward reaching our commitment to build or repair homes with 1,000 families, getting them into a safe and stable home in time for the holidays."

Lowe's and Habitat launched the week by hosting 10 Girls' Night Out events in regions across the U.S.: Atlanta, Austin, Cincinnati, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Indianapolis, Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, Philadelphia, Raleigh-Durham, San Diego and Seattle-Tacoma.