She Builds

Women-led and women-focused, She Builds, provides critical repairs for women-headed households and women-focused community spaces to empower women to maintain safe and healthy homes, make a difference in their communities and build a supportive community network.  Participants come to the builds with a myriad of experiences and skills to share and learn from each another. Programming includes participation in a home or community center renovation led by women, home repair trainings on how to maintain safe and healthy homes and leadership training and mentoring to encourage community participation and empowerment. Participants learn basic carpentry and plumbing skills, electrical safety do’s and don’ts and other on-the-job training while working on these repair projects to improve the health and safety of their own living conditions.

Today, more women are living independently and owning their own home than ever before, yet according to the National Women’s Law Center, more than one in eight women and more than six in ten children live in poverty. Additionally, two-thirds of low-wage workers are women working for just $11.50 or less, most without a spouse’s income to rely on to support their family. Female-headed households with children have a much higher prevalence of repair needs and costs than other household types. She Builds addresses those needs by bringing together neighbors, volunteers, community leaders, local organizations, and corporate partners who are dedicated to advancing the housing and community issues affecting women. 

She Builds program outcomes for women homeowners, community members and volunteers: 

• Improved ability to perform basic home repair tasks 
• Improved sense of self-worth 
• Greater connection to community and network of supportive women 

• Increased partnerships between women-owned and women-led businesses and nonprofits and women in need