“I am thrilled that the bones of our house are being constructed by girl power,” exclaimed Trayshonda Jelks as more than 80 women helped raise the wall of her home during Indian River Habitat for Humanity’s 10th annual National Women Build Week.
It was poignantly appropriate that the wall-raising of this single mother’s home in Habitat’s Waterside Community in South Vero Beach would occur just days before Mother’s Day.
“I never pictured myself as a homeowner,” said Jelks. “To be a homeowner in such a beautiful neighborhood means a lot to me, from the home itself down to the neighborhood children that will get to play with my children. I’m excited they can have sleepovers, birthday parties and barbecues for the first time in their lives.”
Jelks’ children, 12-year-old Travion Rivers and 5-year-old Eliyah Johnson are equally excited, with Travion sharing, “We’ve never lived an actual house. It’s important that we help build the house so other people will be inspired to get their own house too. I’m going to help Habitat build houses when I’m old enough to volunteer.”
“Everyone wants to be able to have their own home. To be able to raise their kids in a safe community,” said State Senator Debbie Mayfield. “That’s what we have here.”
In a national display of girl power, more than 17,000 women from 275 Habitat affiliates across the country strapped on their tool belts, pounded nails, painted walls, applied caulk and hung drywall to help build affordable housing in their communities.
Lowe’s Heroes, the company’s nationwide community volunteer program, had hosted How To workshops beforehand and were busy cutting, sawing, lugging materials and working alongside the female crew.
“My mom and I always work on Mother’s Day, so we can’t spend the day together,” said County Commissioner Susan Adams, who generally teams up with her mother, Fran, during Women Build week. “This always falls the week before Mother’s Day so we do it together to celebrate. She’s in Alaska this year so I’m here to wield a hammer for both of us.”
“These homes are not giveaways. Potential homeowners are required to meet a minimum threshold of income, go through a series of financial and homeownership education classes, put in sweat equity and agree to pay a monthly mortgage,” explained Eve Kyomya, Habitat director of community development. “Habitat creates an affordable way for someone to become a homeowner if they are willing to do their part.”
Team leader Leslie Balcerak, who has been a Habitat volunteer for 10 years, added, “When you work side by side with the homeowner and see them open the door to their new home, it’s very rewarding. Hopefully the takeaway this morning is that it takes many people coming together and working together from across our community to help build homes.”
“Over our 25-year history we have built 350 new homes; rehabbed 83 foreclosures that we’ve fixed up and put back in the affordable housing market; and done nearly 300 repair projects for the elderly and infirm who own or occupy their homes but are unable to maintain them either because of physical or financial reasons,” said Andy Bowler, Indian River Habitat for Humanity president/CEO.
