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6th Annual Gourmet Tasting & Expo Goes Above and Beyond

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On Thursday, November 14th, 2013, Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County hosted the 6th Annual Gourmet Tasting & Expo to benefit its Women Build program at Aitoro Appliances in Norwalk. This annual event is a major fundraiser for the Women Build program, which encourages and empowers women to make a difference by building homes and communities.  Our coalition of Fairfield County women is addressing the critical shortage of affordable housing by volunteering their time to raise funds for, and build, Habitat homes in their communities.

The addition of the Women Build Expo this year gave local women-owned and women-oriented businesses a chance to showcase their products and services in a fun and exciting environment full of Habitat and Women Build supporters.  Throughout the night, guests were able to experience a variety of local restaurants and caterers, as well as sample services and products from over 20 local businesses.  Additionally, over 30 local businesses donated a gift for our Raffle, which helped raise a good portion of proceeds for the night.

In an inspiring fashion, Tony Aitoro, played auctioneer for our Parts of a House Auction.  With genuine passion and emotion, Tony moved guests, vendors and many of his own employees to bid on the doors, windows, insulation, toilets, sheetrock, paint and more needed to complete the program’s 9th home.  When all was said and done, a total contribution of over $29,000 was raised to complete the construction of the Burgos family home.

Tony jokes with Luis Burgos and his 2 girls as he tries to encourage a guest to bid on the home's insulation

Tony jokes with Luis Burgos and his 2 girls as he encourages guests to bid on the home’s insulation

The event, sponsored by Aitoro Appliances, Mitchells of Westport, Lillian August Designs,  Hemingway Custom Cabinetry,  Vincent Palumbo Salon, and Garcon Photography, will help a deserving, low-income family of six achieve their dream of first time homeownership.  Luis and Elizabeth Burgos and their four children currently live in a two bedroom apartment on the East Side of Bridgeport with a kitchen so small they cannot share a meal at the same table. When they move into their Habitat home, their children, Manuel, 17, Keyla, 16, Alisha, 10, and the youngest Xavier, 2, will finally have the opportunity to play outside in the backyard and invite their friends over. They will each have a desk where they can complete homework and, in the future, write their college essays. The Burgos Family is eagerly awaiting the first night in their new home where they can actually sit together and enjoy dinner as a family.

For more pictures from the event, click here!

 

 

National Women Build Week 2012

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Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County and Lowe’s seek women volunteers to build homes during National Women Build Week

Women volunteers will raise their hammers at Habitat for Humanity construction sites across the country in recognition of National Women Build Week, May 5-13. The event is a nationwide initiative of Habitat’s Women Build program developed in partnership with Lowe’s.

Now in its fifth year, National Women Build Week challenges women to devote at least one day to creating simple, decent and affordable housing in their local communities. Nearly 31,000 women volunteers from all 50 states have participated in the previous four events.

To date, women volunteers have helped construct more than 1,900 Habitat houses nationwide. Locally, Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County (Habitat CFC) has built 7 Women Build homes.

Habitat CFC’s National Women Build Week kicks off with Mary Himes, Cynthia Blumenthal, and Sonya Finch joining members of General Electric’s corporate women’s network to begin construction of the affiliate’s 8th Women Build sponsored home.  Volunteers are needed Wednesday, May 9 and Friday, May 11 from 8:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. to help frame walls and build sub-flooring.  If you can’t spend the whole day, Habitat invites you to stop by between 9:00 a.m. -2:00 p.m. to learn more about Women Build and see volunteers in action.  There will also be a family program offered Friday, May 11, 3:30 -5:00 p.m. for parents and children to work together and learn more about Women Build and Youth United, Habitat CFC’s program for kids age 5-25.  The week will end with a Wall Raising Ceremony on Saturday, May 12, at 9:00 a.m. celebrating the beginning of construction on another safe and affordable home for family in need.

National Women Build Week is held the week leading up to Mother’s Day because of its significance to Habitat homeowners and volunteers. Families with children make up a staggering number of those in need of adequate housing. More than 12 million children – one in six – live in poverty housing in the United States alone.

This year’s theme, “The Build Generation,” reflects the event’s goal to recruit and train women volunteers, as well as welcome the next generation of Habitat Women Builders – young women, ages 18-24 – to help support Habitat’s mission to create affordable housing. Lowe’s and Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County (Habitat CFC) are looking for women to volunteer at a Bridgeport Habitat construction site for at least one day during this nine-day event that culminates on Mother’s Day. Construction or home improvement experience is not necessary.

Lowe’s contributed more than $1.3 million to National Women Build Week, providing $5,000 Lowe’s gift cards to 275 Habitat affiliates. National Women Build Week is one of the major initiatives supported through Lowe’s five-year, $20 million pledge to Habitat. As the underwriter of the Women Build program since 2004, Lowe’s conducts “how-to” clinics at stores to teach women construction skills, enabling them to support Habitat projects across the country.

To volunteer or donate to this project, please call 203-333-2642, email womenbuild@habitatcfc.org or visit http://tinyurl.com/HabitatWB.