Valdosta, GA May 2, 2009 – In the days leading up to Mother’s Day, 175 construction crews of women volunteers across the country will be pounding nails and raising walls at Habitat construction sites across the country in recognition of National Women Build Week, May 2 - 10. Today, in Valdosta, local women volunteers will be manning tools and building materials, working on a family’s new home.



Recording artist Tricia Yearwood is helping launch National Women Build Week by building with women volunteers in her adopted hometown of Tulsa, Okla., on Tuesday May 5. She will then build with women volunteers in Atlanta, near her hometown of Monticello, Ga., on Friday, May 8.



“There are so many emotions that you have all at one time,” Yearwood said, describing her experience working with Habitat. “There’s the feeling of physically helping someone else and the sense of self-esteem that that brings. Meeting the homeowner who’s going to live in this home. And then there is this amazing feeling of getting to know these volunteers who dedicate themselves to this work every day. Just amazing!”



Developed through the partnership between Lowe’s and Habitat for Humanity, National Women Build Week challenges women to devote one day to the effort to eliminate poverty housing. The event is an initiative of Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build program, underwritten by Lowe’s, which brings women from all walks of life together to learn construction skills and then use those skills to build simple, decent affordable houses.



“Many of our female volunteers who come out for the first time have never swung a hammer before in their lives but these women are ready to work—they came here wholeheartedly and are getting the job done”: explains Jena Hood, Volunteer Coordinator for Valdosta-Lowndes County Habitat, “Men aren’t excluded from the site, but we’re focusing on women this week. More than thirty women from all over South Georgia volunteered to help work on this house today. Several Habitat partner families were out here building alongside the volunteers as well.”



Lowe’s is providing Valdosta-Lowndes County Habitat for Humanity a $5,000 grant, as well as in-store volunteer training, in support of this one-day build. Nationwide, Lowe’s committed $875,000 million to National Women Build Week, providing grants and event support materials to 175 participating affiliates.



“In our sixth year of supporting Habitat’s Women Build program, Lowe’s has seen the impact women volunteers are making toward eliminating poverty housing in our communities,” said Larry D. Stone, Lowe’s president and COO and chairman of the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation. “National Women Build Week energizes community volunteers and Lowe’s employees to build alongside families in need. And there’s no better time than Mother’s Day to remind people that we can help parents provide warm, safe homes for their children by supporting Women Build and other Habitat projects.”







About Valdosta-Lowndes County Habitat for Humanity

Valdosta-Lowndes County Habitat for Humanity, an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, is a nonprofit Christian organization dedicated to eliminating poverty housing. Habitat for Humanity brings together people with resources and people in need to build simple, decent, affordable houses. The houses are sold to those in need at no profit. Valdosta-Lowndes County Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1987 and has built over 160 houses in the Valdosta community. For more information, visit HYPERLINK "http://www.valdostahabitat.org" www.valdostahabitat.org.





About Lowe’s

Lowe’s is a proud supporter of Habitat for Humanity International, American Red Cross, United Way of America, and the Home Safety Council, in addition to numerous non-profit organizations and programs that help communities across the country. In 2008, Lowe’s and the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation together contributed more than $25 million to support community and education projects in the United States and Canada. Lowe’s also encourages volunteerism through the Lowe’s Heroes program, a company-wide employee volunteer initiative. Lowe’s is a FORTUNE® 50 company with fiscal year 2008 sales of $48.2 billion and has more than 1,650 stores in the United States and Canada. For more information, visit Lowes.com/community.



About Habitat for Humanity International

Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has built more than 300,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 1.5 million people. For more information, visit HYPERLINK "http://www.habitat.org/" \t "_top" www.habitat.org.