BEND, Ore. — Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity has brought Women’s Build Week back to Bend for the first time since the pandemic. The week-long event is a part of nationwide movement, aiming to highlight the vital role women play in strengthening communities while offering hands-on opportunities to learn, lead and make a lasting impact.
“It is an advocacy and education event on a number of different fronts,” Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity CEO Carly Colgan said. “It is to encourage and get women onto our construction site, make sure they understand that our construction site is friendly and open for volunteers all year long.”
Women’s Building Week also looks to bring awareness to the unique challenges women face when trying to achieve homeownership, such as wage disparities and higher mortgage denial rates.
“Seven of the nine households out here are women-led households that will be buying the homes. So talking some and educating our volunteers around some of the challenges and barriers women face when it comes to homeownership,” Colgan said.
Kristin Holton has faced these issues first-hand. As a single mother, Holton has faced a plethora of challenges while trying to single-handedly raise her children.
“When I first moved back to Bend 17 years ago, without an income, I was always a stay-at-home mom, so I had to start a business,” Holton said. “I created a business 12 years ago and I ended up being a non-stay-at home parent, and I had to figure that out with very small children. That was challenging enough trying to find childcare which is so insanely outrageous in this town. And then renting. I couldn’t find anything that didn’t want three and a half times what I made.”
They are issues Habitat volunteers like Katie Pelcher hope to address.
“It’s just challenging to find affordable living here in central Oregon. These people have worked incredibly hard and put in their blood, sweat, and tears to be able to get into these homes. It’s really rewarding to see who’s benefiting from this and to be a small part of that is really fun,” Pelcher said.
As for Holton, she can now look forward to her new home Habitat for Humanity is currently building. She and her children will be able to move in, in July.
“We are on our way to having a more stable home. Which is really important for me as a single mom and for my kids,” Holton said.
Women’s Build Week goes until Friday, when mostly women volunteers will continue to build these new units off Daly Estates Drive in southeast Bend.
Volunteer slots are always booked for this year’s Women’s Building Week, and Habitat for Humanity will not have another one until next May. However, Habitat is always looking for more volunteers year-round for other projects, which you can apply for here.
Originally Published Here: https://www.centraloregondaily.com/news/local/womens-build-week-bend-habitat-returns/article_4ac374dc-a9d5-4d45-a705-8ce26f87a2e2.html