What is Women Build?

Coming together to build stronger, safer communities.

The Habitat for Humanity FM 2026 Women Build brings together thousands of women and men from the FM area for a months-long effort to build an affordable home alongside our staff and homebuyers. Our 2026 Women Build volunteer fundraising committee is composed entirely of women, our 2026 Women Build homebuyer is a single mother of three currently living in substandard housing, and the hundreds of dedicated volunteers working on this project are all coming together to build with and for local women in our community. Help us build hope and opportunity today!

Who are we helping in 2026?

Our 2026 Women Build homebuyer is a working mother named Nelly. She and her family currently live in a mobile home that poses a regular danger to their health and success. Repairs on the damaged home are constant: a leaky roof, water damage, sewer backup, and an unstable structure. The small neighborhood where her children play is marked by regular crime, including trafficking and domestic violence. “The problems are never-ending,” she recently shared with us. “It’s really toxic and unstable.”

Her application with Habitat for Humanity FM was submitted with a ray of hope clouded by anxiety and insecurity. On the cold February day when our Habitat team knocked on her door with the news that she had been accepted, the news came as a surprise. “I was already rejecting myself before I wrote the paper explaining why I needed the house,” she remembers.

Some of the first words that came out of Nelly’s mouth after learning of her selection speak to her character, and the resilience she and her family have built together, enduring challenges. “I was just sitting there, like, you know what, even if I don’t get selected and there’s somebody else that needs it more, just give it to them. We can deal with this.”

What followed her selection as a Habitat FM homebuyer has been a series of transformative experiences. Working with our volunteers and other homebuyers, Nelly has been learning meaningful skills. “Everyone communicates well and is super friendly and helpful. I have also become more educated. I learned about laying sod and appropriate nail placements for framing a house,” she’s told us. Through each hammer swing and shared lunch break, she is building more than a house — she's building confidence, friendships, and contribution.

Nelly’s time with Habitat FM has also reshaped how she sees her community. “It has given me hope. I feel support — support that I didn’t have before.” Her time with Habitat has also reshaped how she sees her community: “It has given me hope. I feel support. Support I didn’t have before.”

With your help, Nelly and her family look ahead to a brighter future: “Safety and security — feeling like I have a home and it’s mine. A place where my children can feel safe.” It’s a simple but profound dream, and the foundation of what everyone’s home should be.

Together we can build it.