Page 96 - South Mississippi Living - September, 2019

tough as nails
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY’S
Build puts the power in the hands of local women – literally. “As part of
the program, Habitat offered lessons
on how to use power tools prior to
the build,” said Persharon Dixon, who participated in this year’s Women Build. “It was a great opportunity for us to get familiar with the tools that we would
be using to build homes for deserving members of our community.”
Dixon joined Women Build along with her sisters from the Gulf Coast chapter of The Links, Incorporated, which she serves as president of. “While some
some of the sisters on our team had participated in Women
Build in the past, others had never done anything like this
before,” Dixon said. “But
we were
Women Build participants are each given a specific task for the day and are assisted by trained professionals. “They made it simple for us,” Dixon remarked. “Our build had a Disney theme, so each piece of the ‘puzzle’ was marked with where it needed to go, such as matching the Mickey board to the matching Mickey wall.”
At the end of the day, all of the teams joined together to discuss what the
day had meant to them. Everyone involved was emotionally invested in not only the house, but the happiness of the family that would one day live there. “It was such a gift to be a part of this program,” Dixon said. “We were literally and figuratively giving this family a foundation for the rest of their lives.”
In addition to a down payment and monthly mortgage payment, all Habitat families go through financial education classes and one-on-one coaching sessions ensuring they have more than just a place to live, they have the tools for a successful future.
96 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • September 2019
FOR MORE REFLECTIONS OF THE GULF COAST >> www.smliving.net
presented by South Mississippi Living magazine
story by Kelsey Sunderman-Foster photos by Donn Hupp
abitat for Humanity’s Women Build program has been going strong since 1991, bringing together volunteers from all walks of life for one
common cause: creating innovative, sustainable housing solutions by
empowering members of the community. Through volunteer efforts and financial donations, Habitat builds and rehabilitates affordable housing
for hardworking families.
When you picture construction workers, you might initially think of strong, burly men, but Habitat’s Women
assured that no prior experience was necessary and we were ready to do our part.”
Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast 228.678.9100 | www.hfhmgc.com