WE Build 2011
May 22, 2011 - They were cold and damp and dirty but they joyfully came together to pick up hammers, paint brushes, nail guns and shovels to build 10 homes and a neighborhood playground during Habitat for Humanity San Fernando/Santa Clarita Valleys’ 2nd annual Women Empowerment Build.
T’Keyah Crystal Keymah, known for her roles on “In Living Color,” “Cosby” and “That’s So Raven” was this year’s event chair. The event drew women stars from film and television and from the soap operas The Bold & the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives and The Young & the Restless. The keynote speaker on Saturday was Colonel Lisa Costanza, a US Army brigade commander who recently returned from Iraq spoke about women in leadership in our armed forces.
Habitat for Humanity San Fernando/Santa Clarita Valleys CEO Donna Deutchman said, “We wanted to do more than just have a day where women build. We wanted to engage outstanding role models to empower the young women who live in affordable housing to be active agents of change and make a better community for themselves and their neighbors.”
The San Fernando Habitat for Humanity affiliate has a goal to not only empower the families who live in its housing but also to educate the community on the importance of affordable housing in providing safe and stable neighborhoods. This weekend over 700 women, including nurses, attorneys and actors, showed by their work that they can build better tomorrows today.
Above Left: Actress Dawnn Lewis (A Different World) makes a precision cut while siding a house during Habitat for Humanity San Fernando/Santa Clarita Valleys’ 2011 Women Empower Build. Above Right: Habitat Ambassador Arianne Zucker from Days of Our Lives measuring with 2011 WE Build chair T’Keyah Crystal Keymah. More photos in our Media Section.
Pink Hard Hats & Habitat for Humanity – Our event received media coverage on KCAL9, on blogs and newspapers throughout the region and on the popular WomansEye.com blogsite. Check out this great feature story with T’Keyah. And you can listen to the interview as well.
One Valley business sent its worker-volunteers to 3 different events in the same weekend… find out about their experience in the Momentous Insurance newsletter.
Our event was also featured in a blog focused on helping grow non-profits. Please read the post: Habitat for Humanity – Community Building At Its Best.
Sarah Steffen
Marketing Coordinator
Habitat for Humanity, SF/SCV
Serving North Los Angeles City & County
21031 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 610
Woodland Hills CA 91364
818-884-8808