MaineBusiness.com

PORTLAND, MAINE, MAY 6, 2009 – In the days leading up to Mother’s Day, construction crews of women volunteers all across the country will be pounding nails and raising walls at Habitat construction sites across the country in recognition of National Women Build Week, May 2 - 10. In Greater Portland on May 8th local women volunteers will be manning tools and materials, working on the Munye family’s new home.

Recording artist Tricia Yearwood helped launch Women Build Week, building with women volunteers in her adopted hometown of Tulsa, Okla. Yearwood will wrap up the final weekend of the event building with women volunteers in Atlanta, near her hometown of Monticello, Ga. Across all 50 states, more than 7,000women volunteers are expected to build at more than 200Habitat for Humanity construction sites.
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Developed through the partnership between Lowe’s and Habitat for Humanity, National Women Build Week challenges women to devote one day to the effort to eliminate poverty housing. The event is an initiative of Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build program, underwritten by Lowe’s, which brings women from all walks of life together to learn construction skills and then use those skills to build simple, decent affordable
Lowe’s is providing Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland a $5,000 grant in support of this one-day build. Nationwide, Lowe’s committed $875,000 to National Women Build Week, providing grants and event support materials to 175 Habitat affiliates. National Women Build Week is the first major initiative of Lowe’s renewed five-year, $20 million pledge to Habitat. That commitment includes underwriting Habitat’s Women Build program, as well as providing construction know-how at in-store clinics and build sites, and funding for a variety of Habitat projects across the country.


WHAT: Local women volunteers building with Habitat for National Women Build Week
Volunteers will come together to spend the day working at the Demerest St. sub-division. This site includes the first 4 “green” homes that Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland has built.

WHEN: May 8, 2009; 9am-3pm

WHO (INTERVIEW/PHOTO OPS):
• Over 25 female construction volunteers
• Habitat for Humanity staff members
• Local Lowe’s store representatives

WHERE: Demerest St. sub-division

From the North:
- Take 95 south
- Take 295 South towards Portland
- Take exit 9 for US- 1 south towards Baxter Blvd./ Washington Ave.
- Turn right at Bates St.
- Turn left onto Washington Ave.
- Turn Right at Ray Street
- Turn right on Ivaloo St.
- Turn Left at Marlborough St.
- Take immediate Right on to Huntington (there is no street sign but please note that it is the first right turn off of Marlborough.)
- Turn right onto Demerest. The lot will be straight ahead once you make this right turn.


From the South:
- Take 95 north
- Take exit 44 to 295 North towards Portland
- Take exit 8 towards US 26./ Washington Ave.
- Merge onto Washington Ave.
- Turn Right at Ray Street
- Turn right on Ivaloo St.
- Turn Left at Marlborough St.
- Take immediate Right on to Huntington (there is no street sign but please note that it is the first right turn off of Marlborough.)
- Turn right onto Demerest. The lot will be straight ahead once you make this right turn.



WHY: Local women are participating in National Women Build Week, May 2 – 10, which
challenges women to devote at least one day to the effort to eliminate poverty housing. The event is an initiative of Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build program, which brings women from all walks of life together to learn construction skills and then use those skills to build simple, decent affordable houses.

The Mother’s Day timeframe was selected for its significance to many volunteers, as families with children make up a staggering number of those in need of adequate housing: more than 12 million children – one in six -- live in poverty housing in the United States alone. To date, women volunteers have built more than 1,400 Habitat houses nationwide.


About Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland
Our mission since 1985 has been to eliminate poverty housing in the Greater Portland community. Since then HFHGP has completed over 50 homes, with projects currently under way in Portland and Freeport. By utilizing volunteer labor, donated land and materials whenever possible, HFHGP can generally build a 3 bedroom home for around $120,000, which is about half the value of the house. On a typical house there will be about 800 volunteers sharing in the building of the house with families. Upon completion, each house is sold to a qualifying family at cost by mean of a 30 year, no interest mortgage.

About Lowe’s
Lowe’s is a proud supporter of Habitat for Humanity International, American Red Cross, United Way of America, and the Home Safety Council, in addition to numerous non-profit organizations and programs that help communities across the country. In 2008, Lowe’s and the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation together contributed more than $25 million to support community and education projects in the United States and Canada. Lowe’s also encourages volunteerism through the Lowe’s Heroes program, a company-wide employee volunteer initiative. Lowe’s is a FORTUNE® 50 company with fiscal year 2008 sales of $48.2 billion and has more than 1,650 stores in the United States and Canada. For more information, visit Lowes.com/community.

About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has built more than 300,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 1.5 million people. For more information, visit www.habitat.org.

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