In 1991, a group of women in Charlotte, N.C., completed the first women-built Habitat for Humanity house, planting the seeds for Habitat’s Women Build program. Since the Women Build department’s official creation in 1998, Habitat affiliates have enabled Women Build volunteers to construct more than 1,500 homes around the world.

With special events, such as the 2006-2007 First Families Building Homes Across America campaign, and with additional sponsors signing on to help affiliates undertake more projects, more Women Builds are underway than ever before. In 2006, approximately 32,000 volunteers helped build 160 Women Build houses. In 2007, 209 more homes were added. This number continues to grow, especially through the success of our Lowe's Partnership.

Lowe’s is the underwriter for the Women Build program. In 2008-2009, Lowe's also sponsored annual National Women Build Week celebrations. More than 13,000 volunteers on more than 350 worksites participated in the first two years of the U.S.-wide event. In addition, Lowe’s gives free training clinics to every Habitat affiliate within driving distance of a local store, and provides complimentary merchandise for every affiliate hosting a Women Build project.

The Women Build department is here to help create more ways to invite women to address the problem of substandard housing and its effects on the health and well-being of families, particularly children. We need to raise volunteers and advocates to tackle such a challenge. To help you, we've posted many of our printed materials and resources online here for you to use. We hope our affiliates and partners engaged with Women Build find them vital in the ongoing fight against poverty housing.

Syracuse Habitat for Humanity completed its first Women Build House in 2005, and the second Women Build House in 2008. The 2009-2010 Women Build Project will construct the third Women Build House on Elliot Street, in the Near Westside of Syracuse.