Habitat for Humanity program provides fair, affordable housing for women in need

Habitat for Humanity program provides fair, affordable housing for women in need

WOMEN RIGHT HERE INTHE METRO - AREVOLUNTEERING THEIRTIME TO RENOVATE AHOUSE FOR AHOMEOWNER IN NEED.IT'S PART OF HABITAT FORHUMANITY'S "WOMENBUILD" INITIATIVE.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER JUYEON KIMFOUND OUT WHY THISINITIATIVE IS SOIMPORTANT TO THEVOLUNTEERS.JUYEON KIM / @JUYEONKIMTVSIt"s day three ofconstruction at a home here inWyandotte county.

The ownerof this home, Laura Jones,was living in an apartment shedidn"t own in aneighborhood with increasinggun violence.

But folks heresay she"s taking control ofher own future with the help ofother women.

SAmber McWilliams / DevelopmentCoordinator, Habitat forHumanity.SThe fact that we cancome out here and truly makea difference for these womenis awesome.SINCE 1991 -- THOUSANDSOF WOMEN HAVE PAID ITFORWARD.WOMEN BUILD -- ANINITIATIVE WITH HABITATFOR HUMANITYHAS BEEN BUILDINGAFFORDABLE HOUSINGFOR WOMEN IN NEED.Amber McWilliams / DevelopmentCoordinator, Habitat forHumanity.SBeing able to build astable home so that not onlycan they better their lives andmake better decisions butthey"re no longer decidingbetween paying a medical billand keeping a roof over theirhead...MCWILLIAMS SAYS 60PERCENT OF PEOPLE --THAT FALL BELOW THEPOVERTY LINE IN THEMETRO -- ARE WOMEN ANDCHILDREN.THE NEED FOR THIS KINDOF AWARENESS -- IS HUGE.MELISSA SIEBEN IS OUTVOLUNTEERING TODAYCONTINUING THE WORKTHE OF THOUSANDS OFWOMEN WHO CAMEBEFORE HER.Melissa Sieben / AssistantCountyAdministrator, UnifiedGovernmentSI definitely feel like folksdon"t expect to seewomen out, being themajority, constructing a house.So definitely think when weget out here, we"reproving to young girls thatthere is an opportunity to workin construction as a job.SIEBEN WORKS FOR THEUNIFIED GOVERNMENTA LONG TIME CORPORATESPONSORED PARTNER --OF HABITAT FOR HUMANITYKC.HER TEAM USES FEDERALHOUSING DOLLARS TO DOPROJECTS LIKE THIS INTHE COMMUNITY.Melissa Sieben / AssistantCountyAdministrator, UnifiedGovernmentSFor me, it"s gettingout into our neighborhoodsand being a part of aneighborhood for a day andactually seeing that others seethat Unified Government caresand that we care enough to beout here doing this kind ofwork during the work day."WE"RE TOLD HOMESTAKE 12 TO 18 MONTHS TOCOMPLETE.ONCE THE WORK HERE ISDONE LOCALLY IN KANSASCITY -- FOUR NEWPROJECTS WILL LAUNCH INALL OF MISSOURI --THROUGH THE PROGRAM.IN KCK, JUYEON KIM 41ACTION N