Over the last 11 years, the Greater Indy Habitat Women Build has built 16 homes for 16 families and
raised more than $2 million dollars to support the mission of Habitat.

What is the Indy Women Build!

The Habitat for Humanity Women Build program recruits, educates, and encourages women to build and advocate for decent and affordable houses in their communities. In 2014, the inaugural Greater Indy Habitat Women Build brought together teams of women who constructed the first house with the Brown family. Since then, hundreds of women have worked together to build 14 homes, alongside 14 Habitat homebuyers and their families. In addition to physically building these homes, Women Build builders provide all the funding by calling on their friends and family to support them and the mission. In total, the Greater Indy Women Build has brought in nearly 18,000 donations totaling more than $2 million dollars. 

Why is it important?

According to data from the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana, the homeownership rate for Indianapolis is 54%—substantially lower than the state (69%) and national (64%) levels. With the rise in construction costs and housing prices over the past few years, these rates may only worsen, causing housing affordability to slip even farther away for more people. Additionally, women make up 50% of Habitat for Humanity International’s volunteer force; yet often because of lack of training, they account for less than 15% of workers on the construction site. The Women Build program is one meaningful solution to both of these problems: It encourages the involvement of women in the construction while connecting community members to quality affordable housing. Why? Because everyone deserves a home.

How does it work?

The Women Build is a unique Habitat event in that the build days are funded by the peer-to-peer fundraising efforts of the women builders, not sponsors. Women volunteers from all walks of life work together to both raise the funds and raise the walls for the entire Women Build project. 

What’s the timeline?

Habitat staff and the Women Build committee works year-round to ensure a successful build and experience for everyone involved.

Phase One: Team Leader Recruitment & Training (October-January): Each fall, Habitat recruits 40+ women to serve as team leaders. These team leaders are the foundation to the Women Build project. Team leaders are the first to sign up to participate and are the primary resource for support, inquiries and information for their team. Team Leader Orientation is held in January.

Phase Two: Builder Recruitment & Initial Fundraising (February): Team leaders recruit a group of women to join their team as builders. Each builder raises a minimum of $350 to help fund the project and volunteers with her team on one build day to help construct the home.

Phase Three: Fundraising (March-May): Once registered, builders begin their fundraising efforts via peer-to-peer fundraising. Some teams choose to host team fundraising events to help them reach and exceed their goal.

Phase Four: Build Day (May-July): Construction of the build begins in April/May and finishes in June/July. Each team will volunteer on their chosen build day from 8:15 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. The construction tasks vary by day. No experience is necessary, and all volunteers must be at least 16 years of age. 

Ways to get involved with the Indy Women Build

Meet our 2024 Women Build Homebuyers

Check out photos from the 2024 build!

View more photos from this year’s build!

Thank you to our 2024 top fundraisers!

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