Delray Beach, FL, May 1, 2012 – Women volunteers, Lowe’s Heroes, and co-chairs Diana Hileman and Jean Evans all representing “The Build Generation” will raise their hammers on a South Palm Beach County Habitat for Humanity construction site May 12th in recognition of National Women Build Week. National Women Build Week, held May 5-13, is a nationwide initiative of Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build program developed in partnership with Lowe’s.
This year’s theme, “The Build Generation,” reflects the event’s goal to recruit and train women volunteers, as well as welcome the next generation of Habitat Women Builders to help support Habitat’s mission to create affordable housing. Saturday, May 12th, women volunteers in Boynton Beach will work with Jennifer Williams and Charitable Louis along with their families on their new Habitat homes. Lowe’s is providing Habitat for Humanity of South Palm Beach County a $5,000 Lowe’s store gift card, as well as in-store volunteer training to support Habitat for Humanity Women Build homes.
Here in South Palm Beach County more than 150 women will be working hard helping construct homes in the Ocean Breeze West neighborhood. The homes are the 99th and 100th homes constructed by South Palm Beach County in their 20 years in the community.
“The women in the South Palm Beach community are so generous and supportive of our Habitat for Humanity Affiliate,” explains Michael Campbell, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of South Palm Beach County. “Penny Morgan began this tradition seven years ago in Boynton Beach and Lowes has been a supporter ever since. Without the support of the women volunteers we would not have been able to positively change the live, improve neighborhoods and stabilize communities. Thank you ladies and Lowes for all you do.”
Lowe’s, underwriter of Habitat’s Women Build program, has committed more than $1.3 million to National Women Build Week in support of 275 participating affiliates. National Women Build Week is one of the major initiatives supported through Lowe’s five-year, $20 million pledge to Habitat. As the underwriter of the Women Build program since 2004, Lowe’s conducts “How-To” clinics at stores to teach women construction skills, enabling them to support Habitat projects across the country. Habitat for Humanity of South Palm Beach County and Lowe’s of Boynton Beach hosted a “How-To” clinic to prepare women volunteers to build in the Ocean Breeze West neighborhood of Boynton Beach.
“Lowe’s has been the proud sponsor of Habitat’s Women Build program since 2004,” said Marshall Croom, chairman of the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation. “Women Build encourages women from all ages and walks of life to pick up their hammers and build affordable homes alongside local families. Lowe’s salutes all the women volunteers who take time to build this week and values the difference Lowe’s and Habitat are making in the lives of families across the nation.”
The U.S. Census Bureau reports more than 12 million children—one out of every six—are living in poverty in the United States, where more than 70 percent of Habitat’s U.S. houses are built in partnership with women heads-of-household. In South Palm Beach County, there are approximately 29,000 families that fall in the low income or very low income category and are in need of affordable housing. Habitat’s Women Build program recruits, educates and inspires women to build and advocate for simple, decent and affordable houses in their communities. Since the inception of Habitat’s Women Build program in 1998 more than 1,900 Habitat for Humanity Women Build houses have been constructed in partnership with low-income families.
WHEN: Saturday, May 12, 2012
8 AM Remarks
8 AM Construction begins
5 PM Construction ends
WHO (INTERVIEW/PHOTO OPS):
- · Habitat for Humanity of South Palm Beach County, Michael Campbell – Executive Director
- · Future Habitat homeowners Jennifer Williams and Charitable Louis
- · Co-chairs Diana Hileman and Jean Evans
- · Volunteers from South Palm Beach County
WHERE: Ocean Breeze West
801 Seacrest Blvd (just North of Boynton Beach Blvd)
Boynton Beach, FL