Habitat for Humanity held a luncheon on Tuesday to kickoff their 2026 Women Build campaign. The Women Build initiative aims to give women the opportunity to take on the construction process of building a Habitat home. This year’s home is for Amy and Nathan Maddox and their three young daughters.
“It’s not about the lumber or the nails, it's about stability, it's about opportunity, and it's about creating a foundation that can change the trajectory of a family for generations,” said Katie Jackson, the president of the board of directors for Springfield Habitat for Humanity.
She explained that it's an international initiative that gives women their own place in construction while creating affordable Habitat homes for families in need.
“So really the initiative behind it is just getting women together because when women get together, we can do all things,” she said, "and can support each other and get it all done.”
Jackson said she believes a home is a person’s happy place, but with rising costs the initiative brings women together to impact an uncertain affordable housing market.
“It’s not so much affordable anymore,” Jackson said.
With rising costs of construction, she said, everything else rises too. She explained that $200,000 is a lot of money, but it is currently the price of Springfield’s affordable housing. She said Habitat’s goal is to build and fund affordable housing and that the goal of Women Build trickles down from that — for a team of women to build and fund one home each year.
Jackson said both Habitat for Humanity and the Women Build campaign operate the same — families in need are given an affordable mortgage and complete sweat equity hours, which can include participating at build sites and at Habitat Restore, or taking budgeting classes. These hours help pay for the costs, which Jackson said makes the process more affordable.
Jackson said last year they were able to construct a six-bedroom home for a single mom of four who was also taking care of her elderly father.
She emphasized that the campaign offers affordable housing while giving women the confidence and opportunity to make an impact.
