I have been volunteering for Habitat for Humanity for over half of my life! An unpleasant weather day in Milwaukee found me on a ladder pulling down siding on a home that Habitat was rehabbing and I've never looked back. There can be a lot of hopelessness in our world but you can make a tangible difference by getting your hands dirty and donating your energy to building a home.
Women Build is an especially wonderful event because it raises money to build homes while bringing awareness to the challenges that women homeowners experience. Statistically women make .83 cents for every dollar that men make. The wage gap in Illinois between men and women is $11,046 (higher than the national average). Most single parent homes are managed by women, last year coming in at 80%. Women also carry many unpaid household labor tasks in most household including childcare, and taking care of sick children and elderly parents. Women face higher mortgage denial rates and less competitive interest rates.
Homeownership is one of the most dynamic tools a person can use to build a strong and stable future. However, it is a tool that far too many women are unjustly denied access. From the gender pay gap and its impact on credit profiles, to uneven childcare responsibilities that consume time and financial resources, to higher rates of mortgage denials despite superior payment performance, the hurdles keeping women from homeownership are high.
This October, I'm grabbing my hammer, strapping on my tool belt, and joining Habitat Chicago's Women Build alongside 600 determined women to knock these barriers down. Together, we will help our fellow women become homeowners with Habitat Chicago, a nonprofit committed to championing healthy neighborhoods by investing in resident priorities, building quality homes, and supporting homeownership.
You can make a difference by helping me reach my fundraising goal and prove that there's nothing a group of committed women can't do.
Change happens one person at a time. I appreciate any support you can give - big, small, or somewhere in between.
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