As a community of 450+ women strong, we will accomplish two incredible goals:
1. Raise $300,000 to help fund the construction of Habitat homes that will be owned by women. 

2. Advance construction of multiple Habitat Chicago homes that will be woman-owned. Women Build days will take place every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from October 3rd - October 24th, 2020. 

Each Women Builder commits to building for one full day of the event and raising at least $375 to participate, earning prizes as she goes.

Women Build 2020 will take place every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from October 3rd - October 24th. Each Women Builder participates in ONE day of the event with her team. 

Fun, hard work, hands-on. Build site activities can include anything it takes to build a home from start to finish. Some typical volunteer activities include: framing, siding, painting, roofing, laying flooring, hanging doors or windows, trim work, landscaping and cleaning. All of it is critical to a finished home and a healthier, more stable family.

Here's an overview of the day: 

7:30am: Registration
8:00am: Construction
11:30am: Lunch
12:30pm: Construction
2:30pm: Clean up
3:00pm: Wrap up and Departure

Toilets and first aid will be on-site at all times; to avoid the spread of COVID-19, we will not have communal hydration stations on-site; all volunteers must come equipped with their own hydration beverages (read more in our COVID-19 Considerations FAQ below). You will work in project teams under the supervision of our construction leadership. During lunch you will have the opportunity to learn more about Habitat Chicago and get to know our female homebuyers. After lunch you will return to a project team to finish out the day.

We'll begin wrapping up before 3pm and send you home with some worked muscles and happy memories!

There are two ways women can participate:

1. As a Team Leader. Each Team Leader:
•Attends the Team Leader Kickoff in June and Team Leader Networking event in September, dates will be communicated to interested Team Leaders.
•Commits to fundraising at least $375 and building one day of the event
•Recruits 9 women to join her team to hit these same commitments; the entire team has a minimum fundraising goal of $6,000. 
•Motivates her team members and ensures they have a whole lot of fun every step of the way
•Coordinates with her team to get everyone registered and ready to build

2. As an Individual Builder. Each Individual Builder:
•Joins a team with open spots (we will get you matched up with a Team on your preferred date, dependent upon availability).
•Commits to fundraising at least $375 and building one day of the event

Team Leader spots are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority being given to previous Team Leaders. If you are interested in becoming a Team Leader, please contact us at events@habitatchicago.org. 

If you are interested in participating as an individual builder, registration will open in July. Until then, you can contact us at events@habitatchicago.org to learn more and add your name to our interest list. We will then remind you when individual registration is open. 

All build days are first come, first served. Volunteer days fill quickly, so the sooner you register, the better!

Women Build 2020 will take place on the Habitat Chicago build sites in the West Pullman neighborhood. The exact build site address will be sent to participants before the event.

No, we encourage everyone from professionals to novices to come build with us. There are a variety of jobs perfect for every level of skill. Trained Habitat Crew Leaders provide on-site training and all-day guidance, as well as all of the tools and materials needed to complete the tasks at hand.

Nope! We'll provide all materials on site. Some people choose to bring their own tool belt or gloves for comfort, but please be sure to clearly label any personal tools/equipment you bring to site.

Not yet - maybe one day! But don't worry, we will be getting some serious work done across several homes that will be owned by women.

You're dressing for an active construction site!

Volunteers should wear close-toed shoes and long pants, while avoiding loose clothing and jewelry. We recommend clothes you don't mind getting dirty and layering for the weather as many tasks will be outside.

We will be distributing Women Build t-shirts at check-in, so come ready to change. 

You must be at least 16 years of age to volunteer on our build site. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a chaperone with a ratio of at least 1 chaperone for every 4 youths. All chaperones must be at least 21 years of age.

No, we'll meet you on site. There is free street parking near the build sites, but given the size of Women Build, spots will be limited. Carpooling or using a ride share with other volunteers is encouraged, as well as utilizing public transportation if you live close by.

COVID-19 Volunteer Agreement
In order to keep all of our volunteers and team members safe, we are asking that all volunteers abide by our COVID-19 Volunteer Agreement. You can read the full text here and will agree to this document through your registration process. If you do not agree, you will not be able to volunteer with us. 

Please understand that by volunteering with Habitat for Humanity Chicago, where you will be in the proximity of other people, you may be at risk of contracting the virus, even though precautions are being observed. We ask that you refrain from volunteering:
• If you or someone in your household has had contact with anyone who has exhibited the following symptoms of COVID-19 in the last 14 days, including but not limited to: fever, cough, difficulty breathing, respiratory or flu-like symptoms, sore throat, etc.
• If you have traveled outside of the United States in the last 14 days.
• If you have traveled via airplane in the last 14 days or have been in any group larger than 10 where social distancing was not maintained.
• If you have been in contact with a person who has a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the last 14 days.
• If you have been medically directed to self-quarantine due to possible exposure to COVID-19.

COVID-19 Considerations
While there is some uncertainty about what October will bring for the pandemic in Chicago, we anticipate having 3 distinct construction sites in the West Pullman community. Your team’s location will be called out in your confirmation email and your team will only spend time on the site you are assigned to. This will help us mitigate the risk of spreading the disease as much as possible.

Additionally, to help avoid the spread of disease:
• All volunteers will be required to use a face mask (dust mask/ fabric mask/ bandanna/ etc.) any time social distancing can’t be maintained
• We will have hand sanitizing stations and hand washing stations available on site, but encourage all to bring their own personal hand sanitizer as well
• We will no longer have communal water or Gatorade containers available on site. Please come prepared with reusable water bottles. We encourage volunteers to bring at least 64 oz’s of water.
• All Personal Protective Equipment will be provided & will be sanitized at the beginning and end of your build day. If you have your own personal equipment we encourage you to bring it. Safety glasses must be safety rated ANSI z87.1. If you need more information about hard hat requirements, please reach out to volunteer@habitatchicago.org.
• We ask that volunteers commit to utilizing and touching only their own assigned tools and equipment throughout the day.
 

You can make a donation to a particular Women Build participant 1 of 2 ways.

1. Go to the Donate page and search for your Women Builder's name. 

2. Search for your Women Builder on the "Find an Individual" page. Once you've located your Women Builder, go to her page and click the big "Donate" button. 

You can make a donation to a particular Women Build team 1 of 2 ways.

1. Go to the Donate page and search for your Women Builder's name. 

2. Search for your Women Build team on the "Find a Team" page. Once you've located your Women Build team, go to the team page and click the big "Donate" button.

Email events@habitatchicago.org and let us know that you need your gift re-allocated. Please include:
- Your name
- The date you made the donation
- The donation amount
- Where you want the donation to go (name of the individual or team you want to support)
 

All checks should be mailed to:
Habitat for Humanity Chicago
ATTN: WOMEN BUILD
1100 W Cermak Rd., Ste. 404
Chicago, IL 60608

Please make all checks payable to: Habitat for Humanity Chicago. 

​In the memo line or on an enclosed note, please indicate that your donation is for Women Build and list the name of the Women Build participant or Women Build team that you are supporting. 

You can expect an offline donation to appear on your Women Builder's page within 7-10 days of receipt. If you do not see your donation, please contact us at events@habitatchicago.org.

Any donation made online should post immediately. If an online donation does not post within 5 minutes, please contact us at events@habitatchicago.org.

Habitat for Humanity Chicago is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. All monetary donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Habitat for Humanity Chicago's Tax ID (EIN) number is 46-0494889.

Yes.

If you made your donation online and provided an email address, you will receive a receipt via email.

If you made your donation offline (i.e. mailed a check), you will receive a letter in the mail once the donation has been processed.

A Tax ID number identifies Habitat for Humanity Chicago as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Habitat for Humanity Chicago's Tax ID number is 46-0494889.

Contact your HR department to learn how your company handles matching gifts. You can then contact events@habitatchicago.org and we will work with you from there.

Each Women Builder commits to raising at least $375 to hit our overall Women Build goal of $300,000. Each Women Build team has a shared goal of $6,000 each. If an individual Women Builder does not hit her goal, she may forfeit her eligibility to participate in future Women Build events. 

This may seem like a lot now, but give it an honest effort and you'll be surprised at how easy it is to reach that goal! Make a genuine appeal to your friends, family and coworkers - they'll most likely be thrilled to support your build (people really like supporting people that they like)!

If you truly feel that you will not be able to reach your $375 minimum, work with your Team Leader or Habitat Chicago staff to see what your options are.

A small fee per online donation goes to payment processing (4%, which donors are given the opportunity to cover); the rest goes directly to home construction for female-led households, covering things like cement work, lumber, insulation, finishes, landscaping, tools, and other construction costs.

Visit our Fundraising Resources page to learn the ins and outs of using https://my.habitatchicago.org/WomenBuild2020, as well as other resources available to you such as best practices and group fundraising ideas. 

Visit our Team Leader resources page for our Team Leader packet and other tools specially made for you!

If a check has been written out to you personally, you may endorse the back of the check and mail it in with a completed donation form to Habitat for Humanity Chicago at:
111 W Jackson Blvd, Ste 2130
Chicago, IL 60604

It is not a good idea to send a cash donation in the mail. You may drop off the cash at our office during business hours 9 AM - 4 PM, Monday - Friday:
Habitat for Humanity Chicago
111 W Jackson Blvd, Ste 2130
Chicago, IL 60604

You can enter a check as a pledge online. You can do this from the fundraising section of your fundraiser dashboard when you are logged in by entering an offline donation.

After entering online, send or deliver the check to the Habitat for Humanity Chicago office as soon as possible. Once Habitat for Humanity Chicago receives the check, we will process it and change the donation status from pending to received. You should see the amount credited to your fundraising progress within 10 business days.

Checks should be made out to Habitat for Humanity Chicago and mailed to:
Habitat for Humanity Chicago
111 W Jackson Blvd, Ste 2130
Chicago, IL 60604

Please include a note that says Women Build 2020 and the name of the fundraiser to whom the donation should be credited. 

Any donation made online should post immediately. If your donation does not post within 5 minutes, please contact us.

A Tax ID number identifies Habitat for Humanity Chicago as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Many donors will request this number to validate their donation as tax-deductible. The Habitat for Humanity Chicago Tax ID number is 46-0494889.

With your Women Build credentials, log in to https://my.habitatchicago.org/WomenBuild2020. Then, navigate to your Fundraiser Dashboard at https://my.habitatchicago.org/WomenBuild2020/Dashboard. In the bottom center of your dashboard, you will see "Recent Donations." Click "View All" to see all of the donors who have supported you.

You are receiving these emails so you can stay up to date on your fundraising progress and to be able to thank your donors in a timely manner. The default setting in your account preferences is to receive all emails, but you can modify your notifications as you wish. Please log in to your headquarters at https://my.habitatchicago.org/WomenBuild2020/Dashboard and edit your account preferences.

If you are not receiving these email updates by default, check your junk folder and be sure to mark events@habitatchicago.org as a known sender. If they are not in your junk, you might have disabled notifications on a previous fundraising campaign. Log in to your headquarters and edit your account preferences.