Women Volunteers Take Part in National Women’s Build Week in Salisbury

May 12, 2018

Taylor Lumpkin,

This week dozens of women traded in their heels for hard hats as they spent almost every day working together to build Habitat homes for families in need.

"For them to be able to come out here and work on projects like that, they're learning, and I'm learning when I come out so I'm having a lot of fun with that," said volunteer Katie Davis.

For the 11th year in a row Habitat for Humanity teamed up with Lowe's to engage women nationwide and locally to teach them the skills on how to repair homes in celebration of National Women Build Week.

"Women's build week, you come out here, you're with other ladies, and you're feeling powerful and making a difference so I think it's an awesome opportunity," said Davis.

"Every year we're doing something different in terms of doing a construction project and they like learning the new skills," said Executive Director for Habitat for Humanity in Wicomico County Molly Hilligoss.

During the week local volunteers worked to help improve the Church Street and Martin Street areas with a neighborhood clean up, as well as building new homes for families. Including a home where Habitat Homeowner Steven Hayes says he can't wait to move his family of 6 in.

"It's really exciting seeing the production going on, you actually get to see your brand new home being built. Habitat to me is a life changer. A lot of people who are in low poverty don't even have in their mind that they could ever be a homeowner," said Hayes.

Volunteers also took part in home demolitions as well as putting in siding and insulation, but they say the most rewarding part is being able to give back to their community.

"Hearing stories about how it changes people's lives and meeting those people and just seeing the smiles on their faces it gives me purpose to come back and keep working," said Davis.

Officials add the National Women's Build Week has brought more than 100,000 women volunteers together to build or repair homes for nearly 5,000 families over the past 10 years.