Habitat CFC E-Newsletter | March 2021
“Women empowerment must never be perceived as a means of imparting arrogance to women, but a means to help them identify their talents and use those talents to make an impact.”
– Gift Gugu Mona
March is a month to celebrate women! This month is Women’s History Month, March 8th is International Women’s Day, and Habitat for Humanity celebrates Women Build Week March 8th-16th. It is a time of year to celebrate both the contributions of women to Habitat’s mission and the ways that affordable homeownership empowers women and their families. Our Women Build program serves as a way to engage with and celebrate women all year round.
Habitat’s Women Build program has never been about excluding men; it’s been about giving women the opportunity to learn new skills in an environment that allows that learning process to flourish. It embodies the sentiment of Serena Williams—“Every woman’s success should be an inspiration to another. We’re strongest when we cheer each other on.” In a male-dominated construction industry, it can be challenging to find this type of support in the learning process. Women Build intentionally creates that type of space.
Women Build also gives women the chance to understand the impact that housing has on women and to lend their voice to advocating for it. Women and children are too often the groups that are hardest hit by poverty. Because of this, they are also in the greatest need of the pathway out of poverty offered by sustainable and affordable homeownership. While the most visible part of Habitat’s work is building homes, the most dramatic change happens after a family purchases and moves into a Habitat home. With a safe and secure physical environment, children thrive—achieving better educational outcomes and experiencing improvements in health.
In this third month of the year in which we celebrate women and Women Build week, I hope that regardless of your gender, you will join us in our efforts to give women the opportunity to find and grow their talents and skills. Whether they are a Habitat homeowner or a volunteer, every woman in the Habitat community has gifts to bring to our larger mission. We need everyone’s talents to be at their fullest possibility to achieve the impact that we want.
Yours in partnership,
Dr. Cathy Collins
CEO
You’re Invited! Join us as we celebrate Women Build Week with two free virtual events
Lunch & Learn
Women And Housing: A Conversation with Dr. Tiffany Manuel
Tuesday, March 9 | 12:00-1:00 PM
Learn how empowering women through access to affordable housing builds stronger communities and helps families thrive! Read about our featured speaker, Dr. Tiffany Manuel and the nonprofit she founded at https://www.thecasemade.com/about.
REGISTER NOW for the Women Build Lunch and Learn
Happy Hour
Wine & Chocolate with Chef Benoit
Thursday, March 11 | 5:30-6:30 PM
Join us for a fun and delicious evening as Belgian Master Chocolatier, Chef Benoit teaches us how to pair your favorite wine from your own collection with specially chosen chocolates from his shop in Fairfield, BE Chocolat.
Purchase your $12 box of specially curated Women Build chocolates online at BE Chocolat at 75 Hillside Road, Fairfield CT | 203-292-5981.
Purchasing chocolates is OPTIONAL and not necessary to join Happy Hour!
REGISTER NOW for the Women Build Happy Hour
Questions? Email Suzanne Francis, Events Coordinator, at sfrancis@habitatcfc.org.
Thank You to Our Sponsors!
“We cannot change what we are not aware of, and once we are aware, we cannot help but change.”
-Sheryl Sandberg
For Home, From Home
Habitat CFC Goes to Washington (virtually!)
Habitat CFC’s advocacy dream team – future homeowners, youth advocates, board members, and staff – came together to meet virtually with our law makers during Habitat on the Hill. This annual conference usually gathers hundreds of advocates for Habitat’s work from across the country in our capital. Though we were disappointed to not be there in person, the upside of going virtual was that the conference was more than double the size, with over 700 Habitat homeowners, volunteers, and staff participating.
Future homeowners Cindy and Crystal joined us for this year’s advocacy conference. Our Congresspeople, Senators, and their staff were eager to hear their stories of how affordable homeownership had impacted their lives and their community. Also representing Habitat CFC were the winners of the Youth Advocacy challenge, Jordyn and Lauren. They articulated their passion for helping families and kids have a safe and affordable home. The team was completed by Board of Directors Treasurer Carolyn Vermont, and staff members Cathy Collins, Anthony Orfino, Caitlin Dalton, and Leonila Ayala.
The Habitat CFC contingent joined forces with representatives from Habitat Middlesex and Habitat Hartford to visit with the office of almost every federal representative for Connecticut. We presented a case for key programs, funding, and legislation that will allow Habitat for Humanity to serve families in our community and across the United States.
Learn more about Habitat for Humanity’s advocacy efforts and priorities here.
Interested in becoming involved as an advocacy volunteer? Email Caitlin Dalton, Director of Communications & Outreach, at cdalton@habtatcfc.org.
