Women of Nacogdoches, arise! Pick up your hammers on Tuesday and head for 1511 Spokane St.
Habitat for Humanity Nacogdoches will join the National Women Build Week, sponsored by Lowe's, May 4 through 10. Tuesday, May 6, is designated "women only" day at the Spokane Street building site, where a two-bedroom, one-bath home is being built for Willie Arnold and her son, Chavalya.
"This is a good start," Cindy Bertin, HFHN executive director, said, "and that's why Habitat for Humanity International is trying to get more affiliates to participate in this program."
According to National Women Build Week promotional material, "the week leading up to Mother's Day was selected for its significance to many volunteers, as families with children make up a staggering number of those in need of adequate housing."
As a partner with HFHI, Lowe's underwrites the Women Build program and provides a $5,000 grant to support each Women Build site.
Bertin has discovered many women who want to participate, including lots of new volunteers, "and a one-day commitment is much easier to start off with," she said.
"Women Build is not about excluding men," according to promotional material. "It's about including women, so they can learn construction skills on a more inclusive construction site."
A Christian-based program, HFHI builds homes for people in need, but Bertin stressed HFHN applicants must meet four criteria: reside in Nacogdoches, have a housing need, have an income that is 25 to 80 percent of the median income for the county, contribute at least 300 "sweat-equity" hours in the construction of their home and have completed 100 hours on a previously built home.
HFHN is nothing new to Nacogdoches. In May 1993 interested citizens held a community meeting, and HFHN became an official Habitat affiliate in June 1994.
SFA joined the Habitat team when a Habitat for Humanity campus chapter, now called "Dream Builders," was established in April 1994.
In addition to working on houses, Bertin said, "Dream Builders" also works "on building awareness of poverty-housing issues."
According to the HFHN fact sheet, a "ReStore" shop opened in 2006 to help fund more houses. Located at 600 Powers St., the retail outlet sells "new and gently used home improvement items" and "in the first year it (ReStore) gave back $15,000 toward our Habitat building projects."
Bertin's passion for HFHN is evident as she traces her history with the group and how it has impacted her family: husband, Darren, a local attorney, and three sons, 7, 5 and 20 months.
After being recruited by the Rev. Kyle Childress, HFHN board member and pastor of Austin Heights Baptist Church, "I started out on the board of directors back in 1999," Bertin said.
When asked how HFHN has affected her family, Bertin said, "We're able to live a little bit more simply because we understand there are bigger issues out there than 'keeping up with the Joneses.'"
Reflecting on how HFHN has influenced her sons, Bertin said, "Some of their first words have been 'Habitat house.'"
"The best part of my job is getting to know the families," Bertin said. She gets to be there when they find out they are getting a house and when they receive the keys.
"To see the dream become a reality for these families is a huge blessing," she said.
The Arnold house will be the smallest of the 11 homes HFHN has built. Of the 10 previously built homes the largest is a four-bedroom, two-bath home for a family of eight. Each family can choose among three house plans, depending on the size of the family, Bertin said.
Building hours for women on Tuesday will be from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Bertin said help will be needed throughout the day.
For information on the Women Build Program, HFHN or HFHI, go online at womenbuild@habitat.org, hfhn@sbcglobal.net, or publicinfo@habitat.org.
To volunteer for the local Women Build project, call 564-3538.
