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 putting my pink hardhat back on and joining Habitat Chicago's Women Build for a second time. Together, over 750 women will help fellow Chicago women become homeowners, by building homes with Habitat Chicago, a nonprofit committed to championing healthy neighborhoods by investing in resident priorities, building quality homes, and supporting homeownership.

This year Women Belong's Team Gratitude will be building in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood, where Habitat Chicago has been working for a few years - habitatchicago.org/neighborhood-impact/greater-grand-crossing

Last year, I raised just over $1,000. I'd love to double it this year! 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.