Campaign to Raise $10,000 and Awareness of Local Housing Challenges
Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay its reaching out to the community to promote International Women Build Week March 8-15 to raise awareness of challenges women face in securing safe, affordable housing in the counties of Santa Cruz and Monterey.
Volunteers participate in the 2020 International Women Build Week, painting wood slats. From left: Claudia Garcia, Veronica Schultz, Celeste McKeon, and Eriko Dryer, all from Grow Communications, Inc.
The events will celebrate women as volunteers, recruit new volunteers, and focus on fundraising from private and corporate donors to finance home construction.
Community members and leaders can participate in three activities: An online conversation noon to 1 p.m. Friday, March 12 with women leaders on Habitat’s work, an opportunity to virtually volunteer, including an interactive “scavenger hunt” to educate people about how Habitat works and the diverse roles of women in the organization, and the fundraising campaign.
Panelists include Santa Cruz Vice Mayor Sonja Brunner, Monterey County Supervisors Mary Adams and Wendy Askew, former Watsonville mayor Rebecca Garcia, Habitat volunteer and Otto Construction project engineer Toni Little, Housing Trust Silicon Valley CFO Julie Mahowald, and future Habitat homeowner Kali Campbell. To register for the panel or to virtually volunteer, see https://secure.givelively.org/event/habitat-for-humanity-monterey-bay/2021-women-build/2021-women-build
The outreach campaign has adopted COVID-19-safe practices that leverage online participation.
The fundraising goal for this year’s Women’s Build campaign is $10,000 to support construction of a home for Kali Campbell, a Santa Cruz mom chosen to move into a home on Rodeo Creek Court.
She joined Habitat eight months ago when she applied for and met the requirements to be considered as a candidate for the lottery system that guides the selection process.
Sponsorship levels for the March fundraising campaign start at $250, which can be made online at https://www.habitatmontereybay.com/womenbuild.
Volunteers from the 2019 International Women Build Week
“Owning a home was unattainable before I connected with Habitat Monterey Bay,” said Campbell, who is scheduled to move into her new home in four months. “This month I started my required volunteer hours, and I have never been more excited to support our mission. I am working to secure a home for my family, and I am investing my time to strengthen Habitat.”
A central focus will be to educate people about the power of community in Santa Cruz, Monterey, and Salinas, among other cities.
“We have a bold agenda to build more new homes in Monterey Bay than in any previous year,”said Kathy Arola, Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay board vice chair. “To achieve this goal, we need to strengthen our core, recognize the valuable work of women across our organization, and encourage others in the community to support our cause in any way they can.”
Habitat Monterey Bay has 11 units planned for construction over the next three years on Rodeo Creek Court in the Live Oak neighborhood, and expects to complete four homes for families in 2021.
In Watsonville, Salinas and other cities, Habitat is securing build sites and permits for 11 homes and three accessory dwelling units (ADUs) over the next five years, with construction on two due to be completed for families this year.
For the 15th consecutive year, Habitat for Humanity International is partnering with Lowe’s, which has awarded more than 300 grants to Habitat organizations in the United States, Canada and India, including $5,000 to Habitat Monterey Bay.
The Women Build theme was conceptualized by Habitat for Humanity International to recognize that strength, resilience and perseverance of women is at the foundation of the 45-year old organization.
“We are always working to align the stakeholders who can help us build homes for people,” said Debbie Arakel, executive director for Habitat for Humanity California, the state support organization for 41 Habitat affiliates in California. “We are excited to bring together these policy advocates, corporate leaders, and local community members in March who represent the promise and possibilities of our success.”
In the past 30 years, Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay has built 55 homes for families in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. More than 5,000 volunteers have logged more than 75,000 hours in construction, at ReStore, and by providing administrative assistance.