Habitat Women Build program builds more than houses.
Story By Tracy Dickinson | April 2026
This year the national Habitat for Humanity organization celebrates 50 years “putting God’s love into action by bringing people together to build homes, communities, and hope.” Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity (GDM Habitat) looks to celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2027. But this month, the organization is recognizing another significant milestone.
“This is just year two of the Women Build Fund,” says GDM Habitat’s Jenna Ekstrom. “But last year, in our first year as a designated fund, we built 30 homes.”
GDM Habitat has been organizing Women Build projects for years, but historically, the group has only done one annually. The projects were focused on one home for a female head of household built by volunteer crews organized and led by women.
“We just had too many people excited about being engaged,” says Ekstrom. “We always have more applicants than we can serve. But having too many volunteers, that’s amazing.”
So two years ago, GDM Habitat set up the Women Build Fund to help provide affordability subsidies for potential female home buyers.
“Part of that was seeing what it would look like to fundraise year-round, to let all those eager volunteers pick the volunteer dates that worked for them,” she says. “We have more than enough female heads of household. Last year they made up about 50% of the projects we completed, and we’re on track to have that many this year.”
Each volunteer team is tasked with raising $2,500 and filling one day’s worth of volunteers, ideally a team made up primarily of women.
Nora Crosthwaite, a metro-area REALTOR®, has been volunteering with GDM Habitat for nearly a decade and recently completed her first international build. She’s also been leading Women Build teams for several years.
“I’m actually leading two teams again this year,” she says. “When I posted the selected date on social media last year, the volunteer spots filled up in 2 hours. So I set up another one, and that filled up, too. So I’ll do two again this year.”
Not only does Crosthwaite volunteer multiple times a year with GDM Habitat, her teenage daughter has been participating for several years and volunteers at the Habitat ReStore as well. Crosthwaite’s example has also spurred other women to lead.
“There are a number of teams this year led by women who started their volunteer journey on one of my teams,” Crosthwaite says. And when her daughter heads off to college in the fall, connecting with the local Habitat team is high on her to-do list. Whether that’s because of the confidence she’s gained through her volunteer experiences or the value she’s seen her mom put on volunteering, that habit has been passed on.
“After doing this for a couple of years, I decided that every year for my birthday, I would take one day with no guilt to dedicate to volunteering. About that time, Jenna and I were having coffee, and she told me about the Women Build projects, so I started bringing a team each year.”
Both Ekstrom and Crosthwaite say the Women Build days are the perfect opportunity for new volunteers to get involved.
“That’s what I so appreciate about the Women Build in general,” Crosthwaite says. “It allows us to bring in new people in a really comfortable way. We’re building with friends and colleagues, primarily other women, and it’s very confidence-boosting.”
Ekstrom says, “The Women Build projects have become this wonderful blend of repeat volunteers and new people. That’s exactly what we want.”
The annual Women Build Breakfast held each spring is the primary fundraising event for the new Women Build Fund. Sold out well in advance, this year’s event on April 8th will bring 300 women together to learn about the intersection between housing and another need in the community.
“We’ve had speakers who talked about housing and health, about housing and education. Last year the focus was housing and place-making,” Ekstrom says. “This year we’re talking about housing and our aging population: What does it look like as we have both aging housing stock and an aging population? We have a couple of experts who will be talking through those issues, and we’re going to lift up some other nonprofits in the community who are doing really good work in that space.”
The breakfast event also gives attendees the opportunity to get engaged in some way, whether through fundraising events, donating time or money, or volunteering at the numerous volunteer days throughout the year.
“What I love about being on-site is that the core crew is amazing,” Crosthwaite says. “The number of skills I’ve learned! They prepare you for the day, and they don’t let you make mistakes. I’ve framed doors, laid LVP flooring, done demolition, put down sod, so much more.”
To volunteer, Crosthwaite says, you just have to be willing—and wear closed-toed shoes.
“I tell my volunteers, ‘Closed-toed shoes, a water bottle, and wear sunscreen. Just show up,’” she says.
As a REALTOR® in her professional life, Crosthwaite recognizes the stability that housing provides for individuals, families, and the community as a whole. That is what has fueled her passion for Habitat.
“There are so many worthy causes. But one of the things I love about Habitat is that it’s so inclusive, and it builds confidence. It’s a partnership between the homeowner and the community that fosters self-sufficiency,” she says.
Ekstrom says, “We’ve been around for almost 40 years, and the biggest misconception about Habitat for Humanity is still the assumption that this is a giveaway program. Our home buyers put in not only their own time—a phenomenal amount of time—to work on-site, to undergo education on what first-time homeownership looks like, to attend credit counseling. And they pay a mortgage. There’s a tremendous amount of satisfaction and achievement when they finally get the keys to their new home.”
Not only is homeownership key to wealth building, it’s also key to community building. Statistically, neighborhoods experience greater stability when homes are owner-occupied and not rented. More than that, the residents of those neighborhoods benefit exponentially—from greater financial security to improved academic performance and a decrease in school absences.
“Staying in the same home, your home, changes how you view your life,” Ekstrom says. “For female heads of household, that’s even more true.”
Greater Des Moines Habitat’s Women Build projects don’t just build houses. They lay the foundation for homeowners to build a life they didn’t think was possible.
Learn More.
Donors and volunteers support the Women Build Fund, supporting the life-changing effects of homeownership, providing families and female-led households with stability and security for future generations. More details available at gdmhabitat.org/women-build.