Women Build 2024 Wrap Up
Women Build 2024 has come to an end, and with over $60,000 dollars raised and construction well underway on our 300th home, we’ve got some exciting updates to share!
Fundraising
During our Pre-Build Celebration on May 9th, we celebrated all of the incredible participants who raised funds for this year’s Women Build house.
Every dollar raised during Women Build has a direct and long-lasting impact on our community, and we are so appreciative for all the effort our participants put into their fundraising efforts. That being said, fundraising for Women Build is competitive, and the Habitat Lake-Sumter team had the honor of recognizing both the top individual fundraiser and the top fundraising team at the Pre-Build celebration. With $14,802 dollars raised, this year’s top fundraiser was Sara Cichielo! Sarah’s team, the “Chicks with Sticks” were also this year’s top fundraising team, with a collective fundraising total of $19,074!
All together, our Women Builders raised $65,157 for this year’s Women Build home. This is an incredible achievement, made all the more special because the funds are going to be used to help build Habitat Lake-Sumter’s 300th new home!
Volunteering
Our Women Builders weren’t finished when fundraising ended. From May 11th to May 24th, groups of Women Build participants were out on site starting construction. The amount of volunteers who came out for this year’s Women Build was so great that we were able to begin construction on not one, but two brand new homes in our Cottages at Heritage Grove neighborhood.
Over the course of the two-week build period, Women Build volunteers completed tasks such as framing, installing wall sheathing, hanging hurricane straps, and preparing the home to have their trusses set. The dedicated build period for Women Build is over now, but Women Build volunteers will continue to be invited out on site throughout the construction process to help complete the home. Women Builders will also be invited to the home’s dedication, so they can help hand over the keys to a deserving home buyer and help welcome them to their new home.
For many of our volunteers, their time on site was about more than just construction work. The bonds formed during this event are ones that last a lifetime, and we’re also so thrilled to welcome back past participants year after year as they continue see their impact in our community grow.
Thank you!
To all of our participants, volunteers, sponsors, and anyone in the Habitat family who lent a hand to Women Build 2024, thank you. Your efforts not only made this year’s event one of the best Women Build events in Habitat Lake-Sumter’s history, but you all have directly created a legacy of change that will branch far beyond this year’s home. The impact of your time with Women Build will continue to ripple out across Lake and Sumter county, and will help countless families find the strength, stability, and self-reliance they need to thrive.
Thank you all for a fantastic Women Build 2024. We can’t wait to see you back for Women Build 2025!