Strong Women Build Strong Communities
Women Build empowers women to take an active role in addressing housing issues while breaking down gender barriers in construction. The program provides opportunities for women to learn valuable skills and directly contribute to creating safe, affordable homes for Vermont families. Women Build addresses the disproportionate impact of poor living conditions on women and children, allowing participants to take proactive steps in serving their communities.
The initiative also raises awareness about challenges women face in housing, such as property rights and homeownership access, while fostering a sense of solidarity and community engagement. Through Women Build, Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity not only builds homes but also builds stronger, more inclusive communities where women are empowered to create positive change.
About Women Build
Our Women Build Week is an annual event to raise awareness about the housing crisis and its disproportionate impact on women-led households. Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity recognizes the critical role women play in their communities and the unique challenges they face in achieving homeownership. The event is not about excluding men; rather, it is about empowering women in a traditionally male-dominated space.
Although this event is geared towards female-aligning community members, Women Build is open to all and we encourage everyone to come and be an ally. We encourage self-identifying women, people of color, trans women, and women-aligned groups to participate.
History of Women Build
In 1991, group of women in Charlotte, North Carolina, built Habitat for Humanity house with all women volunteers. With this event, the seeds for Habitat’s Women Build program were planted. A handful of Habitat affiliates continue to build houses with women crews.
The program continues to grow across international borders, empowering women everywhere to address housing issues for themselves, their families and their neighbors.
Green Mountain Habitat participates in Women Build yearly and continues to grow our program.
Why Women Build Matters
The central purpose of Women Build is to bring attention to the varying housing needs of our community members and highlight how our work changes lives and can grow local community resilience. A 2023 Pew Research Center survey, single women own 58% of the nearly 35.2 million homes owned by unmarried Americans but still struggle to get approved for loans. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), single women accounted for a remarkable 19% of all homebuyers in 2023, speaking to the growing economic independence and financial empowerment of women across the country.
Women Build Sponsors
Our Women Build Week is an annual event to raise awareness about the housing crisis and its disproportionate impact on women-led households. Teams are responsible for raising funds to cover the cost of the day’s building materials, site supervision, meals, and swag.
Learn more about sponsorships by viewing our 2025 Volunteer Opportunities document or contact our Volunteer Manager.
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