Women always say that volunteering with Habitat (for Humanity) is something they’d like to do. Well, now, this is their chance to get involved,” said Tonya Cain, one of the female volunteers age 50 and older working on the nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry’s latest building project in the Mobile area.
Cain pointed out that they are working in a safe environment surrounded by other women who encourage them to succeed and “there are no husbands here to laugh at you!”
She has volunteered with Habitat before, cooking for other volunteers. “That’s where my strengths were, but this time, I decided to try the construction side,” Cain said.
And she has helped recruit women from her church, First Baptist, North Mobile, in Saraland, in Mobile Baptist Association, to try their hand at building, too.
“One of the main goals for this senior women build is that the women have a positive experience and leave feeling good about themselves,” said Meredith Montgomery, faith relations coordinator for Habitat for Humanity in Mobile County.
“We want them to learn that you can build a house with Habitat regardless of your age or skill level,” she said.
Although men and people under 50 can volunteer for the project, the build is led by senior adult women.
So far, women from about 10 Mobile Association churches, as well as other churches and the community at large, have come together to build this house and seemingly much more.
Some of the women are already planning to work together on future Habitat endeavors. They love the lack of intimidation and the confidence that come from working with other women.
The women have also been working alongside the people who will eventually live in the house, as Habitat requires the future homeowners to be involved in the construction.
“Habitat isn’t working for people in need. It’s working with people in need,” Montgomery said. “Our goal is to set up families for success by giving them a well-built place to call home.”
Since 1976, Habitat has been doing just that — building more than 300,000 homes in the process. But the families those homes were built for aren’t the only ones who have been impacted. The lives of countless volunteers have been changed forever, too.
“You just feel like you’re part of something big,” Cain noted. “And with this build, with this group of women working together, it’s an exciting adventure.”
The women began the project Nov. 20, and construction is expected to continue into February. Building days are Tuesday through Saturday, generally 8 a.m.–4 p.m., and both individuals and groups of volunteers are always welcome.
For more information, contact Montgomery at 251-476-7171 or habitatmeredith@gmail.com.
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