Habitat's Women Build Week helps local family get new home

This is Habitat for Humanity's National Women Build Week. It's a partnership with Lowe's.The event invites women to spend at least one day helping build a home for someone in need.

This year thousands of women across the country will be part of the effort, including hundreds here in Lucas county. The local project is the renovation of a home near Alexis and Talmadge.

The work got underway in late April and it will take about 6 weeks from start to finish.There are more than 250 local women who helping make it happen.They've been a part of everything from demo work to roofing and electrical work to putting on new siding. And it's all beginning to take shape.

Erin McPartland is with Maumee Valley Habitat for Humanity, "What we do changes lives and it's incredible to be part of that."

The lif- changing work happens on a number of different levels from the new homeowners to the volunteers, like Caitlin Hoblet,"When you think of building a house all at once it is a bit overwhelming. When you break it down, it takes just a few people one step at a time."

All the steps have been adding up.McPartland says a lot of progress has been made by the women in a short time, "It's about offering an opportunity to women to come out and empower themselves. To learn new skills, use a saw, hang siding, or do demo work."

The house will be the new home of a single mom and her two boys.

Michelle Manges works for Marathon Petroleum and she volunteers her time with Habitat for Humanity,"It's been fun to be with other people out here working with our hands. We are side by side with the homeowners. It is so rewarding to see the incredible progress from the beginning of the day to the end of the day."

Today's focus was putting up new vinyl siding.Caitlin says she quickly learned that what she thought would be difficult, was actually relatively easy. "Every time I cut wiht the saw I get more confident in using the tools. I feel more comfortable, and we get faster and faster. The professionals here with us have been so patient. We couldn't do it without them."

Michelle never thought she'd be installing siding either,"My husband is afraid when I got to get a tool, but Habitat has wonderful pros who have taught us the skills and with their help, I installed siding today."

Together all the people working on this project will have a lasting impact on one family and our entire community, "i am very proud and very honored to be part of the process of making the dream of a new home a reality. We always think of the american dream and it's not possible for everybody, this build makes it possible."

This is the 2nd of 8 builds that Maumee Valley Habitat for Humanity will be doing around Lucas county this year. There will be another local Women Build in 2019.

If you'd like to get involved with any of Habitat's projects, you can donated time,money or supplies. We've posted a link

Since 2008 national women build week has engaged 100,000 women from all 50 states. Lowe's donated nearly $2 million to support the effort in 2017. Women Build Week will take place in 300 communities this year.