Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity will kick off its 2020 Women Build project with a special celebration event at The Alexander Indianapolis on February 26 from 6pm to 8pm. The event will promote this year’s Women Build and its allwomen volunteers in the construction of, for the first time in the organization’s history, two homes within 12 weeks.
The homes, located side by side, will provide decent and affordable places to live within the Near-North area of Indianapolis for two hardworking women and their families. During the event, Habitat for Humanity’s committee, team leaders and team members will have the opportunity to meet the two future homeowners.
Part of a larger national program, the Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity Women Build was established in 2014 and has since raised nearly $800,000. This year’s fundraising goal is set at $200,000 in contributions, which, if surpassed, will bring the grand total of program contributions to $1 million for women by women in just seven short years.
According to Abri Hochstetler, Associate Director of Communications & Annual Giving for the Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity, this year holds the potential for “doubling the Women Build impact” with the two-home build. “With this year’s incredible group of women builders, we know big things are possible. Though we have a lot of work ahead of us, we are counting on the generosity of the greater Indy community in helping our builders reach this goal for two deserving local women,” she said.
For the 2020 project, Women Build will incorporate the skills, talents and labor of over 700 generous volunteers from all walks of life to construct the two homes. To raise funds, all women teams will reach out to friends, family, coworkers and others within their individual networks for donations.
Among the team sponsors is the Buckingham Foundation, and according to Theresa Rhodes, Executive Director, they are proud to support their own Women Build team as well as the hundreds of other hard working women who will make a significant difference in the lives of two families this year. “It’s an honor to serve with one goal in mind – build community as we welcome families home,” she said.
Women Build and all Habitat for Humanity homes are not free to the recipients. Rather, the organization partners with future homeowners and provides extra needed support – financial and educational – as they work toward the acquisition of a house. Once in a Habitat house, homeowners can save money, invest in education, pursue opportunities and have increased financial stability.
The future homeowners for this year have both qualified and committed to 300 hours of what is known as “sweat equity,” which will earn them a 0% interest home mortgage. Sweat equity includes a semester of financial literacy, classes on home maintenance and other courses that help prepare them to be homeowners. After completing those courses, the women advance to the second half of their hours, which involves the physical construction of their future home as well as other Habitat homes.
About Buckingham Foundation
Buckingham Foundation is the philanthropic partner of Buckingham Companies. Since its inception in 2006, the Foundation has grown its grant giving capacity to support affordable housing opportunities for families in need, to encourage participation in arts and culture initiatives and to invest in local communities. In 2015, Buckingham Foundation joined the fight against childhood hunger with its Love Indy campaign. Buckingham Foundation invests in organizations through meaningful grants, volunteers thousands of hours to hundreds of nonprofit and civic organizations, and goes beyond typical philanthropy to open doors that create positive change. To learn more, visitwww.buckinghamfoundationinc.org.
About Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity
Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities and hope. We envision a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Since 1987 Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity has helped more than 1,200 families globally relocate from substandard and poverty housing into decent and affordable homes. More than 800 of these home owners are here in our community of Greater Indianapolis and 425 are in Central America. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. The foundations laid by Habitat go far beyond the physical structure of a home. Habitat for Humanity builds strength, stability, and independence through homeownership. To learn more or get involved, visit indyhabitat.org.
