Stonehill College and Thayer Academy Team Up with South Shore Habitat for Humanity to Kick Off National Women Build Week

Weymouth, MA, May 15, 2014 --(PR.com)-- South Shore Habitat for Humanity’s new construction projects begin in tandem with Habitat for Humanity International’s National Women Build Week, May 3-10. Kicking off the local effort, South Shore Habitat campus chapters at Thayer Academy and Stonehill College built and painted picnic benches to grace the two new homes now underway on Center Street in Hanover.

Now in its seventh year, National Women Build Week challenges women to devote at least one day to help build affordable housing in their local communities. Female students picked up hammers, paint brushes and other tools of the trade to make a contribution to building affordable housing on the South Shore. Construction on one of the two Hanover homes will be 75% completed by women who volunteer with South Shore Habitat.

The U.S. Census Bureau reports more than 16 million children are living in poverty in the United States. Nearly 48 percent of the children reside with women heads-of-household. In 2012 in Massachusetts, 15% of our children were living in poverty. Habitat’s Women Build program recruits, educates and inspires women to build and advocate for simple, decent and affordable homes in their communities.

Martine Taylor, South Shore Habitat’s Executive Director, would like to see other young people follow the Thayer and Stonehill students’ lead and volunteer. “Volunteerism begins in youth, and carries throughout a person’s life. These students take action, give of themselves, and make a difference in our world,” said Taylor. Students at these schools will continue to volunteer at the build site over the next twelve months to see the project to completion.

Since the program was created in 1998, more than 2,200 homes have been built in partnership with low-income families using Women Build crews. More than 52,000 women from all 50 states have volunteered at the six previous Women Build Week events.

For more information on Habitat for Humanity’s National Women Build program, and to learn about Women Build projects in communities across the U.S., visit Habitat.org/wb or the National Women Build Week tab on http://www.facebook.com/habitat. To participate in South Shore Habitat projects, go to www.sshabitat.org for information.

About South Shore Habitat for Humanity
South Shore Habitat for Humanity (SSHH) is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to delivering simple, decent, affordable homes in partnership with families in need. SSHH is based in Weymouth and serves 35 cities and towns south and southwest of Boston. Founded in 1986 as an independent, non-profit organization, SSHH works together with volunteers to help local families living in substandard housing move into simple, decent, affordable homes of their own. Since its inception, the organization has built 53 homes and provided housing for more than 94 adults and 187 children.

The organization uses a comprehensive evaluation process, founded on Habitat for Humanity International and H.U.D. guidelines, to select a family based on need, income, and willingness to partner with Habitat. The family purchases the home from South Shore Habitat through a 20-year, no-interest mortgage. A perpetual deed restriction maintains the affordability of the house. The cost for building homes is raised through private donations, corporate contributions, and support from our faith communities south and southwest of Boston.

For more information, to donate or volunteer, please visit www.sshabitat.org, or follow us www.facebook.com/habitat or at twitter @SSHabitat