Women Build is a call to action for women who want to make their communities stronger and spread awareness about the challenges faced by families who can’t afford safe, decent housing. Volunteers come together to help families build strength, stability, hope, and independence through hands-on activities like building, repairing, and funding the construction of affordable homes for low-income families in their communities.
Since 1991, women from all walks of life have come together with others in the community to build over 16,500 homes throughout the U.S. The work is vital, the impact lasting!
Women Build volunteer opportunities are open to all individuals, regardless of gender or gender identity. We value creating a diverse and inclusive environment
Sponsored by Talia Freedman & Co. Real Estate
For four days, volunteers will come together to do minor repairs to Dianna’s home including: trash removal, yard cleanup (pulling weeds, trimming trees), minor painting, and repairing/replacing gutter system. We will also install a small fence along one half of the house for security purposes, and replace outdoor light fixtures.
Women Build 2021 Repair Recipient
Dianna, a Veteran of Foreign Wars who served in the Gulf War in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia during Desert Storm/Calm, was born and raised in Albuquerque during a time when her family, due to their race, wasn’t allowed to live on Kirtland Air Force base even though her father was an airman. Growing up in Kirtland Addition, a primarily Black neighborhood at the time, Dianna didn’t realize how different life would be when she left home to join the Air Force. During Basic Training, Dianna was told she had to remove her braids, but she says that something more powerful than racism came from that painful order: sisterhood. Three women, white and Black, spent the whole night helping her undo her hair. When women come together to support each other, we empower our families, our communities, and ourselves.
Dianna served in the Air Force for 24 years as an Active Duty Aircraft Systems Analyst. When she retired from the military, she went to work as a Program Analyst for the VA. A few years ago, after fully retiring, Dianna moved back to town to help care for her mother, a retired teacher in her 90s who was one of the first Black educators in Albuquerque. Not long after Dianna returned, her brother passed away, and then a short time later, she lost her husband.
Dianna says that she is just starting to feel herself come out from under a heavy blanket of grief and knows that the repairs we help her make to her home will lead to a greater sense of peace and security.
Sign Up – space is limited, first come first served.
July 7 – FULL
July 8 – FULL
July 9 – FULL
July 10 – FULL
Contact Brie for more information
Sponsored by Lowe’s
The Lowe’s Home Improvement partnership with Habitat began in 2003; since then, the company has committed more than $71.1 million to support the nonprofit, impacting the lives of more than 18,000 Habitat partner families worldwide. Lowe’s support of Habitat’s Women Build has helped build, renovate or repair more than 5,325 homes with the support of more than 138,000 women volunteers.
This year, due to the pandemic, our Women Build Week was a virtual event that looked at the intersection of women, housing, wealth, and economics in Albuquerque. We are grateful to Michelle Melendez, the Director of Albuquerque’s Office of Equity and Inclusion for joining us for our virtual conversation “Talks on Gender, Race, and Housing Equity,” which may be viewed on YouTube
We are currently funding the next Women Build home and we need your help! Construction will start in 2022.
