November 10, 2007
In the spirit of giving a “hand-up, not a hand-out” to a local family in need, the Northumberland Habitat for Humanity Women Build ™ Project brought nearly 400 women, as well as men, together to build a three bedroom home in June 2005, and inspired local businesses and community groups to expand the path toward eliminating poverty in Northumberland County.
“Homeownership, as opposed to affordable rental accommodation, creates wealth for (an impoverished) family. With a Habitat 0% mortgage, the family is building their own equity from the time they move in and begin making their mortgage payments. This breaks the cycle of poverty, (as) the family has worked to obtain an asset that will appreciate” states Cathy Lyons, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity Northumberland.
The 2005 project garnered local, regional and national media attention for its profound impact on the people of Northumberland County. Diane Doiron of The National Post and a volunteer with the project reported her experience in a full page pictorial essay that ran nationally on the day of the house dedication, and daily coverage of the build was featured in local newspapers and on local radio.
This initiative demonstrated excellence in rural economic development by promoting skilled trades as a viable career option for youth, especially young women, for whom these types of trades may seem unattractive, and by encouraging young people to replace the many skilled trades workers who will be retiring in the near future.
“Women Build does not exclude men from the site but rather especially invites women, empowering them in non-traditional roles, celebrating women in trades and encouraging women young and old to consider training in skilled trades,” asserts Lyons.
By increasing partnerships between local businesses and community members, and promoting community-based volunteerism and collective action, the initiative took steps toward improving community economic relations in Northumberland County.
The sustainability of such a substantial local initiative is a key achievement for the Women Build ™, as the already planned 2006 project suggests. The Women Build™ 2005 Habitat for Humanity Report not only lays a foundation for the next project’s site management and administration, but also provides recommendations for fund procurement and strengthened project planning in the future.
The outcome of the Northumberland Habitat for Humanity Women Build™ does not end with a single house built for one family. The ripple effect of a collective and empowered movement touched the lives of over 400 people, and energized an entire community to exemplify the definition of teamwork.
By bringing a wide range of community stakeholders, and partnering with local businesses, Women Build™ provided an innovative way to take immediate action to move children into affordable housing housing, and bring together all levels of a rural community. The Northumberland Habitat for Humanity Women Build™ will ensure a long-term commitment to affordable housing, as well as highlight skilled trades and opportunities for young rural women.