Habitat for Humanity kicks off Women Build month
The chilly weather could not stop Loveland women from coming out Tuesday to help Habitat for Humanity build homes for those in need for the first day of their annual Women Build month.
May functions as the Loveland Habitat for Humanity Women Build month, a movement meant to empower women to build on the construction site and learn more about the need for affordable housing in Loveland, according to a recent release from the habitat.
This year, more than 180 women have signed up to volunteer throughout May and even into early June due to the high demand.
Tori Stepp, marketing and development director with Habitat for Humanity said the event is a great way to bring women into a maledominated field like construction and get them more comfortable on a worksite, learning the tools, the trade and how it works.
“It is a great way to get them involved,” she said.
“This began very organically with women empowering other women to tackle that fear on the build site,” said Cindi Hammond, executive director of the Loveland Habitat.
The event has survived through COVID, with teams even able to come out during 2020 and 2021 to keep building. Stepp said last year the Habitat saw the highest number of teams thus far, with 15 teams. This year, Stepp said they surpassed the record once again, hitting 18 teams.
Teams of 10 will come out to Habitat’s build for the day and join skilled construction staff as well as future homeowners Tuesday through Saturday from the morning into the early afternoon from early May all the way to June 11.
Stepp said teams will work on different construction projects from foundation work to more detailed, interior jobs and even meet with the homeowners who will be living in the house once they are done.
“It is a great way to engage people who normally wouldn’t sign up and come out to volunteer,” Stepp said. “Women build brings them out for a comfortable chance.”
The first team made their way to a construction site in the 1700 block of Valency Drive Tuesday morning, beginning work in 40-degree weather.
Barbara Lambert, who was working representing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Loveland Events, said that despite the cold weather she was hard at work on different caulking needs.
She said enjoyed coming out and supporting the opportunity for people to own their own home “through sweat equity.” She said it is especially important because it helps someone into a home when they may not be able to otherwise.
Becky Ezzell, finance director with the Loveland
Habitat, said the event gives women the ability to learn skills they may not get to do otherwise.
“This is the perfect excuse to get most of us who work in the office out and to the build site,” said Meghan Morris, human resources director for Habitat.
Loveland Mayor Jacki Marsh also came out to help for the first day of the build month event. She said that she has done the event every year since she became mayor and has been part of a number of projects from using a nail gun, raising frames and, like Tuesday’s build, detail painting inside a constructed house.
“Habitat has done wonderful things for our community,” she said, adding that it is a privilege to help the program.
More information on the Loveland Habitat for Humanity can be found at lovelandhabitat.org.