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Everything you need to know about Women Build

Women Build is an international movement that empowers, educates and unites women to build and advocate for affordable housing. Women Build Dallas is privately funded and run by leaders and volunteers within the Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity community.

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In Dallas, 69% are women head of household and 41% of those women are single moms

But the gender pay gap is still alive and well. 2020 women’s-to-men’s earnings ratio was 87.0 to 100 in the state of Texas reminding us that women have a disproportionate challenge to financial independence over men. Which reinforces the mission, and importance of Women Build – uniting and empowering the women of Dallas to advocate for accessible, safe and affordable housing for those in need.

Women Build invests in the future of women by engaging powerful female thought leaders and donors, uniting motivated teams of volunteer builders and leveraging corporate relationships for sponsorship and promotional activity.

It all began in 1991

The history of Habitat Women Build was born out of the disproportionate need for safe, affordable housing for women. Officially kicking off in 1991 North Carolina, Women Build started to gain fast traction in 1997 when it became a part of the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project and garnered famous build volunteers such as Hilary Clinton, Libby Jones and Cathy Keating. From 1999-2001, Women Build hosted a ‘first ladies build’ where women governors and first ladies from all 50 states would join Habitat for Humanity and build homes for those in need.

From 2008-2018, Women Build expanded from ad hoc builds to a Women Build Week in the days leading up to Mother’s Day with the support from their major sponsor, Lowes. Which included 6,000 volunteers at over 150 Habitat affiliates across the US. By the end of 2018, Women Build Week had over 130,000 volunteers.

Today, Women Build has grown across international borders encouraging women everywhere to advocate for affordable housing in their city. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Women Build has taken a digital presence, and has been able to spread awareness more than ever before through virtual events and online fundraising.

Getting involved

Women Build Dallas hosts a series of exciting events in the first half of the year leading up to the widely celebrated Build Day Kick Off which is when all Women Build volunteers come together to start building homes for families in need.

There are several ways you can get involved in Women Build:

Ask your company to become a sponsor

  • Receive corporate tax benefits
  • Unite your workplace around a good cause
  • Participate in a group build day
  • Advertising and promotional opportunities such as logo placement, guide features and exclusive access to the Habitat families and team

Start or Join a Women Build team

  • Unite friends, peers and colleagues together to form a Women Build fundraising group
  • Fundraise via events, parties or social networks
  • Meet and connect with new people and friends

Make an independent donation