UPDATED: Habitat For Humanity Hosting Virtual Women Build Lunch & Learn Event March 15

In full transparency, the following is a press release from Habitat for Humanity MetroWest/Greater Worcester submitted to SOURCE media.

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WORCESTER – Habitat for Humanity MetroWest/Greater Worcester is raising awareness of the need for safe and affordable housing for women with a free virtual women build lunch and learn event on Monday March 15 at noon.

The event sponsored by Lowe’s will be held on Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/93329238364 with a passcode of 095957.

The event will include a do-it-yourself presentation on how to install a window by Emilia Kaczmarkiewicz, Habitat for Humanity MWGW’s AmeriCorps National Construction Crew Leader.

Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito (R) and Massachusetts State Representative Danielle Gregoire (D) who serves the Fourth Middlesex District, which includes part of our service area.

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The organization will screen a slideshow of past Women Build events, learn about the Habitat for Humanity Cost of Home Campaign from MWGW Executive Director Debbie Maruca Hoak. There will be a musical performance by area musician Cara Brindisi.

This event will coincide with more than 300 other Habitat for Humanity Women Build events during International Women Build Week supporting women-led households internationally to drive awareness and address the need for safe, decent, and affordable housing.

Women have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, from job loss to evictions and foreclosures.

According to The National Women’s Law Center, 80 percent of U.S. jobs lost during the COVID-19 pandemic were held by women. The United Nations (UN) has reported that 40 percent of all employed women globally work in the industries hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite the unprecedented challenges women are facing, women remain on the frontlines of the pandemic as essential workers, as caretakers within their households, and too often have to make the difficult decision between maintaining a place to call home and paying for food, health care, childcare,
education, or reliable transportation.

Harvard University’s State of the Nation’s Housing 2020 report revealed that 37.1 million U.S. households spent more than 30 percent of their incomes on housing in 2019, including 17.6 million spending more than 50 percent.

The effects of the pandemic have further highlighted the need for safe and affordable housing, as 29 percent of renters and 36 percent of homeowners experienced employment income loss between March and September of 2020.

Lowe’s and Habitat for Humanity International’s partnership began in 2003. To date, the program has brought together more than 143,000 women volunteers who have built or repaired nearly 6,000 houses.

Lowe’s has committed more than $78 million to support the global housing nonprofit’s efforts, including the Women Build program, International Women Build Week, and Habitat’s Neighborhood Revitalization program. Lowe’s support of Habitat has helped more than 18,000 Habitat partner families improve their living conditions.

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For more information about the Habitat for Humanity International Women Build and Lowe’s partnership visit habitat.org/womenbuild or follow #BuildHer and #WomenBuild on social media to share and view stories from around the world.

Habitat for Humanity MetroWest/Greater Worcester mission is to build homes, communities, and hope for local families in the 42 cities and towns throughout Middlesex and Worcester Counties that we serve. To learn more about Habitat for Humanity MetroWest/Greater Worcester visit www.habitatmwgw.org.

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