Warsaw Christian School moms volunteered Saturday on a Habitat for Humanity of Kosciusko County construction site along with thousands of women across the country, including Lowe’s Heroes employee volunteers, in recognition of National Women Build Week, May 3-11.

Now in its seventh year, National Women Build Week challenges women to devote at least one day to help build affordable housing in their local communities. The week also spotlights the homeownership challenges faced by women.

Said Christon Clark, Habitat for Humanity of Kosciusko County executive director, “2014 marks the third consecutive year Habitat for Humanity of Kosciusko County has participated in National Women Build Week. We are honored to work closely with Lowe’s each year to engage the community to build our affiliate into a stronger organization to build a stronger community. The entire team at our local Lowe’s are wonderful partners.”

The volunteers worked to finish painting and landscaping in Warsaw. The first Women Build home was completed in 2013 with more than 190 volunteers putting in over 225 volunteer shifts to finish the home for Diane and her son, Keatrine. Since moving in last July, they have had a stable, highly efficient home that will be affordable for the life of the mortgage.

Actress and author Holly Robinson Peete will help build a new home in Los Angeles County. Peete, a mother of four, is the national spokesperson for National Women Build Week 2014 and a longtime supporter of Habitat for Humanity.

“I am delighted to once again support National Women Build Week and look forward to building alongside the amazing women who take part in this special event,” said Peete. “A home provides such a strong foundation for families, and this week offers great opportunities for women to join together, learn new skills and help families in need of affordable housing.”

Lowe’s helped launch National Women Build Week in 2008 and each year provides the support of Lowe’s Heroes and conducts how-to clinics at stores to teach volunteers construction skills. Lowe’s donated $1.75 million to this year’s National Women Build Week, including a $5,000 store gift card to Habitat for Humanity of Kosciusko County, as part of a new five-year partnership with Habitat that will bring Lowe’s total contributions to more than $63 million since 2003.

In celebration of this renewed partnership, Lowe’s and Habitat launched Hammers for Habitat, a volunteer initiative inviting men and women across America to give one day to help make the dream of homeownership a reality for a family in their community. To learn more, visit Habitat.org/Lowes.

“As part of National Women Build Week, we’re encouraging women across America to raise a hammer to help create safe and affordable housing in partnership with local families,” said Joan Higginbotham, Lowe’s director of community relations. “We thank our Lowe’s Heroes and the thousands of volunteers who will help strengthen communities throughout the country this week.”

The U.S. Census Bureau reports more than 16.1 million children are living in poverty in the United States. Nearly 24 percent of children reside with women heads-of-household. In Kosciusko County more than 25% of families are in need of affordable housing.

Habitat’s Women Build program recruits, educates and inspires women to build and advocate for simple, decent and affordable homes in their communities. Since the program was created in 1998, more than 2,200 homes have been built in partnership with low-income families using Women Build crews. More than 52,000 women from all 50 states have volunteered at the six previous Women Build Week events.

For more information on Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build program, and to learn about Women Build projects in communities across the U.S., visit Habitat.org/wb or the National Women Build Week tab on http://www.facebook.com/habitat.