GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The end of construction is near for the biggest project the Greater Green Bay Habitat for Humanity has ever undertaken.
It will help to house more than a dozen local families who have waited years for a home of their own.
The 13-home project on Green Bay’s east side is called Habitat Homestead. It is the first large-scale neighborhood development Greater Green Bay Habitat for Humanity has constructed.
“It’s really neat to see the progress, from having just poured the foundation on the first house just before Thanksgiving, to standing here in June to see 13 structures in different areas on their construction,” said Andrea Jorgensen, director of marketing and communication with Greater Green Bay Habitat for Humanity.
Like other Habitat homes, the future homebuyers put in sweat equity — anywhere from 250 to 500 hours. Volunteers are a huge part of the build, too.
But with a project this size, Habitat needed some extra help.
According to Jorgensen, “To move this project along, we worked with a lot of those community partners and businesses to keep on pace and have brought in contractors to help us keep this on schedule.”
The Homestead build is happening as Habitat for Humanity celebrates 15 years of its Women Build program.
“Here in Habitat Homestead, a majority of these homebuyers are women-led households, single mothers. And it’s very exciting to see them empower themselves and be role models for their children, to show them what you can do with hard work and dedication,” added Jorgensen.
Habitat for Humanity invited all women to come and help on site.
Kay Bader from Associated Bank is one of those Women Build volunteers. She said, “It’s very rewarding and empowering to be out here and know you’re making a difference. It’s a feeling you can’t really describe until you do it.”
No experience is necessary to join the Women Build. Volunteers can sign up for as many shifts as they want. And there’s plenty of instruction from those who actually know what they’re doing to help volunteers succeed.
“I was scared of doing a power tool or making a measurement and being wrong. But I really didn’t need to be. There’s a lot of people here to help you,” said Bader.
And by volunteering, you’re helping make a house a home for local families.
Habitat expects the construction on the Homestead development to be completed by this fall, with all families in their home before the end of the year.
