Monthly Archives: September 2011

Habitat for Humanity Women Build: Women Empowering Women

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Today will be an exciting day in West Fargo, Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity will dedicate the Women Build Home.  At 5:30pm this afternoon, the future homeowners, the Hamilton family, will gather with representatives from Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity, the Women Build planning committee, donors, volunteers, and friends to celebrate the completion of their future home.

Dedication ceremonies are always exciting, but as the 2011 Women Build Home, this home is different.  Women Build is a program through Habitat for Humanity International with the mission to bring together women from all walks of life to address the housing crisis facing millions of women and children worldwide.

LAHFH Women Build volunteers

Volunteers flex their muscles at LAHFH’s 2011 Women Build site.

The Women Build program started in 1991 with a group of women in Charlotte, North Carolina who completed the first women-built Habitat for Humanity house. With this event, the seeds for Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build program were planted and became an official Habitat for Humanity International initiative in 1998.  In 2007, Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity completed the first local Women Build project by building a twin home in South Fargo.

Women Build believes that decent, affordable housing is not a feminist issue.  It is a quality of life and basic human dignity issue facing families everywhere.  Women Build is about empowering women to take action against poverty housing conditions.

North Dakota First Lady volunteering with Women Build

North Dakota’s First Lady, Betsy Dalrymple, lends a helping hand on LAHFH’s 2011 Women Build.

Women Build is not about excluding men.  It is about including women and opening new doors of opportunity.  Men are often involved in training programs and build projects in supportive roles.

Women Build events have helped to construct more than 1,900 houses worldwide, with the most recent Women Build home right here in West Fargo.  The West Fargo Women Build home was built by over 150 local women who rolled up their sleeves and offered their service to help a local family realize a dream of affordable homeownership.  The build was planned and organized by an all women committee of volunteers.  The home is the 4th Women Build home completed by the local affiliate and second home completed by the organization in 2011.

Even though construction on the Women Build project is complete, you can still support Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity. The local Women Build would not succeed without donations and the committee welcomes any and all donations from you and/or your organization. To invest your valuable time and energy, you can check the Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity website for work days on other build sites. To support Women Build financially, visit the Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity website or contact us via phone or email.  Check with your employer to see if they have a matching donations policy.

Women Build Partner Family on the build site.

If you’re interested in attending the Women Build home dedication:

Where: 326 6th Ave. W. in West Fargo

When: 5:30pm Monday, September 26, 2011

 

For more information on Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity visit: www.lakeagassizhabitat.org

For more information on Women Build visit: http://www.habitat.org/wb/

Celebrating 20 Years of Building Homes, Hope and Futures

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A home is an amazing thing. It’s a shelter, a refuge, a sanctuary. To the families that Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity has helped over the past 20 years, it’s also a dream come true.

It’s hard to believe that 20 years ago we started building simple, decent and affordable homes in partnership with families in Cass and Clay counties. So here’s a little bit about us, where we came from and where we’re heading. 

Raising the Roof

Volunteers work together to raise the roof on a LAHFH Build

Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity began in 1991 when Concordia College Pastor Phil Holtan heard former President Jimmy Carter speak about Habitat for Humanity. Inspired by his words, Holtan began a Habitat chapter on Concordia’s campus. Interest in Habitat quickly grew and Holtan decided a local affiliate was needed. On June 1, 1991, Habitat for Humanity International officially accepted Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity as the 609th affiliate in the U.S.

In October 1991, Habitat’s Board of Directors selected the affiliate’s first partner family. Three months later, construction was completed and the first Habitat home in Cass and Clay Counties was dedicated with more than 75 people in attendance.

This past summer, Lake Agassiz Habitat celebrated 20 years of building in Cass and Clay counties. Since its 1991 beginnings, Lake Agassiz Habitat has served 40 families in five communities around the area. 2011’s Barnesville Build will mark the sixth community Habitat has served.

Habitat 20th anniversary ribbon cutting

Habitat Board Members, staff, and volunteers are joined by Chamber Ambassadors and local mayors at the 20th Anniversary ribbon cutting.

For the 2011 build season, the organization received a record 150 requests for applications. Of the 41 applications Habitat received, five families were chosen to receive new homes. We’ll begin work on the last of our 2011 builds on September 10 with the wall raising for the duplex.

So what have we learned these past 20 years? Well, a lot. But one lesson sticks out. What we do transforms lives. We’re building safe, affordable, well constructed homes. Those things are life-changing to these families.

Want to learn more about Lake Agassiz Habitat and how you can get involved? Visit www.lakeagassizhabitat.org.