Plans are well underway in Orlando for National Women Build Week which will take place from May 7-12, at Stag Horn Villas, Habitat’s first multifamily community, on Silver Star Road.
National Women Build Week, which began some 14 years ago, to empower women to eliminate poor housing conditions, was only inaugurated in Orlando a mere two years ago. But Habitat for Humanity of Greater Orlando Women Build Week (WBW) Steering Committee chair, Caroline Hardin says, while a lot has been accomplished over the two-year period, more can and must be done. One reason is, she says, about 16 percent of the population in Orlando is estimated to live below the poverty line, most of whom are women and children.
Last year, 350 women volunteered more than 2500 hours at Stag Horn Villas and raised more than $100,000. But Hardin says the goal is to raise $130,000 this year.
“We have a total of 320 volunteer slots available this year and slots are $500 per person,” she said. “I encourage people to get together with a group of friends, a viable study group, a group of co-workers — raise the money to build and come out and do a volunteer slot.”
The $500 will get you one volunteer slot which is one day of the build, Monday through Saturday, from 8:00 to 2:00 p.m., she expanded.
Hardin expects to rally more women to get involved to help address the housing crisis faced by women and children. “There are a number of male volunteers who help and guide the building effort, but you have to be a woman to pick up a hammer and work on the site, ” she said.
It’s pretty easy to get involved in Orlando’s Women Build Week. Persons can visit the website, Habitat-Orlando.org, for those wishing to participate or sponsor a team of volunteers. And Hardin says, if you are not able to participate on the building site during WBW, but can “purchase a box of nails or pay for a window,” you can do so on the website, as well.
Even when dining out, Central Floridians could get involved in Women Build Week! During the month of February, patrons dining at Crave restaurant near the Mall of Millenia, could order off the Habitat menu and a certain percentage of the proceeds will be donated to support WBW.
Hardin says WBW has been “very fortunate” so far, to have corporate sponsors like, GE, Delta Airlines, SunTrust, Performance Roofing and Universal, among others, involved in the build. But, just as she would like to see more women involved in WBW, she hopes more corporate sponsors will step forward.
She says there’s a lot of misconception out there that the Habitat-funded homes are a “hand out.” Rather, it is a “hand up,” and a lot of vetting of potential homeowners takes place. Homeowners have got to put hundreds of hours of sweat equity into building their own homes and those of their neighbors. They also must take classes in a number of areas, including money management, budgeting and home maintenance.
“It’s really a unique community,” Hardin said of Stag Horn Villas, a 10-building, 58-unit facility and the site of the WBW. “These people are all from the same situation. They have worked on each others homes, they all know each other…their children go to the same schools. And it’s just really nice to see that camaraderie and the good neighbor feeling out there.”
For more information on how to get involved as a sponsor or participate in Orlando’s Women Build Week, visit: www.Habitat-Orlando.org.
