Habitat for Humanity and Lowe’s Canada spotlight the positive effect of homeownership on women-led households during 2021 International Women Build Week
Through an expanding partnership, Habitat for Humanity Hamilton and Lowe’s Canada increase efforts to provide affordable housing as part of an international initiative starting on International Women Day
(Monday, March 8, 2021–Hamilton, ON) Habitat for Humanity Hamilton partners with Lowe’s Canada to kick off International Women Build Week, a Habitat for Humanity international annual initiative powered by Lowe’s Companies. From March 8 to 15, the event starting on International Women’s Day will draw attention to the global need for women’s access to safe and affordable housing. This year, the organizations in the United States, Canada, and India are increasing efforts by supporting over 300 Women Build projects and women-led households, which will help women around the globe to build or improve decent, affordable places to call home.
“Habitat for Humanity Hamilton is excited and honoured to be partnering with Lowe’s Canada to celebrate International Women Build Week, raising awareness about the need for all women to have access to affordable housing,” said Sean Ferris, Executive Director of Habitat Hamilton.
With the 2021 edition, Lowe’s Canada expanded its partnership to support four additional local Habitats in Canada, as the need for affordable housing sharpens in many parts of the country due to economic strains brought by the pandemic. Worldwide, Lowe’s Companies has increased its donation to nearly $2.7 million to widen its support for Habitat’s international projects that help women and their families.
“Supporting the communities that welcome our stores, our associates, and our customers is part of our fundamentals at Lowe’s Canada,” explained Jean-Sébastien Lamoureux, Senior Vice-President, Public Affairs, Asset Protection and Sustainable Development at Lowe’s Canada. “As many things we assumed were stable became fragile in the last year, we are pleased to see that our ongoing partnership with Habitat has helped provide women-led families in our communities with a foundation on which to build a sturdy home.”
Women experience multiple pressures as they struggle to find or retain safe shelter during the pandemic, according to a report by the Women’s National Housing and Homelessness Network (WNHHN) and research from the Community University Policy Alliance on Women’s Complex Homelessness at McMaster University. Women are disproportionately impacted by a loss of income due to COVID-19, which puts women-led households at a greater risk of losing their housing. As a result, many more of them are forced to choose between either rent or mortgage, or other essential bills, such as utilities or health care.
Through this year’s International Women Build Week, Habitat Hamilton and Lowe’s Canada also wish to amplify the positive effects of housing stability for women and their families, especially during the pandemic. Habitat Hamilton is committed to supporting women and girls through its work and has housed many throughout the years, including single mothers. Most recently, Habitat Hamilton made homeownership a reality for a mother and her two daughters who now enjoy having their own bedrooms as well as outdoor space for gardening and playtime.
Lowe’s Canada and its Lowe’s, RONA, and Reno-Depot banners have been partnering with local Habitat affiliates since 2009. Through the Lowe’s Canada Heroes campaign, International Women Build Week, and focused donations in cash or in kind, Lowe’s Canada has raised over $3.9 million to support the non-profit organization’s housing efforts across the country and help Habitat homeowners improve their living conditions.
To learn more about the initiative and partnership, visit https://habitat.ca/en/international-women-build-week. Follow #BuildHer and #WomenBuild on social media to join the conversation and view stories from around the world.
To share this news on social media, please use @HabitatHamilton on Facebook, @HabitatHamilton on Instagram, @Lowe’s Canada on LinkedIn, or @HabitatHamilton and @LowesCanadaCorp on Twitter.
About Habitat for Humanity Hamilton
Founded in 1991, Habitat for Humanity Hamilton is an independent, not-for-profit housing program that builds strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter. Habitat Hamilton has accommodated 31 Habitat homeowner families locally since its incorporation and is one of Habitat Canada’s fastest growing affiliates with several builds and developments forthcoming. For more information, please visit www.ebmediatestsite.ca/test8.
About Lowe’s Canada
Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) is a FORTUNE® 50 home improvement company serving approximately 20 million customers a week in the United States and Canada. With fiscal year 2020 sales of nearly $90 billion, Lowe’s and its related businesses operate or service more than 2,200 home improvement and hardware stores and employ over 300,000 associates. Based in Boucherville, Quebec, Lowe’s Canadian business, together with its wholly owned subsidiary RONA inc., operates or services some 470 corporate and independent affiliate dealer stores in a number of complementary formats under different banners, which include Lowe’s, RONA, Reno-Depot, and Dick’s Lumber. In Canada, they have more than 26,000 associates, in addition to approximately 5,000 employees in the stores of independent affiliate dealers operating under the RONA banner. For more information, visit lowescanada.ca.
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For more information, please contact:
Sean Ferris, Executive Director
Habitat for Humanity Hamilton
905-560-6707 ext. 108
sean@ebapi.ca
Valerie Gonzalo, Media Relations
Lowe’s Canada
514-599-5900, ext. 5271
1-866-566-3342
media@lowescanada.ca