"Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties"

2014 Women Build TNR Team
Pictured above (from left to right) Tyra Read, Max Dean and Nancy Ramos (Ramos Builders), and Shawnmarie Pitts (The News Press)

One of my favorite events I look forward to every year is the Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties Women Build. Women Build is Habitat for Humanity’s nationwide program to empower women to take action against poor housing conditions by recruiting, educating and inspiring women to build and advocate for simple, decent and affordable homes in their communities.

According to the Census Bureau, more than 16 million children are living in poverty. The good news is that since the program began in 1998, more than 2,100 homes have been built by women crews in the United States. For Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties, this is the fourth year it has participated in Women Build.

Beginning in March of each year, women form teams to raise the money needed to renovate the homes. The women also physically renovate the homes, which are completed so they can be delivered to the families in May for Mother’s Day. This year, my team was comprised of members of the Cape Coral Construction Industry Association. We not only met our goal for the funds we pledged to raise, we also volunteered on various days to work on the home located in Cape Coral. The home was then officially dedicated to a wonderful mother, Vanessa Saez (pictured below), on May 10, 2014, just one day prior to Mother’s Day. There was an official Blessing of the Home, as well, at the dedication. It was an amazing experience!

2014 Women Build Homeowner
Tyra Read and New Homeowner Vanessa Saez!

Continue Reading Habitat Women Build 2014

Giving Alliance of Women volunteers.JPGWhile mothers across the country are hoping to receive flowers, cards or gifts on Sunday for Mother’s Day, a very special group of women will receive keys to a new Habitat home in Cape Coral. These moms are the recipients of a home built or rehabbed through Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties, Inc. (“Habitat”) Women Build project. Women Build encourages women to make a difference by building or rehabbing homes and helping Habitat with its home-building mission.

Habitat Women Build is a perfect fit for Giving Alliance of Women (“GAW”), a non profit organization serving Cape Coral, Florida since 1973. GAW is a component of the Cape Coral Community Foundation, consisting of a group of women involved with philanthropy in the Cape Coral community. These women, pictured above, formed a team and raised $5,000 to participate in Habitat’s 2012 Women Build.  (Front row, left to right: Tyra Read, Jennifer Coleman, Claire Avery, ToniRae Hurley, Rebecca Ross; back row: Tiffany Cleland, Mary Margaret Embroli-Swanson, Cindy Stratton.)Continue Reading Habitat Women Build in Cape Coral, Florida – Helping Families and the Local Real Estate Market