Brock will be helping to make a house a home for two local families in need.

Twelve female University employees will roll up their sleeves Dec. 4, working with Habitat for Humanity Niagara to put the finishing touches on a semi-detached home being constructed in Niagara Falls.

The project, called Women Build, will bring together Brock staff from seven departments — Experiential Education, Student Life and Community Experience, the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Faculty of Education, Brock ITS, ESL and Admissions — to paint, stain and install trim and cabinet door handles when the house is near completion.

Before they get to work on those finishing touches, volunteers are working to raise a minimum of $5,000 for the project, for which donations can be made online.

“It’s important for Brock to be a community partner here in Niagara,” said Sandy Howe, Brock’s Associate Director, Experiential Education. “It’s important for people to get out of their offices when we have the chance, to participate and give back locally to a community that gives so much to all of us and our students.”

Combined, the 12 University participants have more than 25 Habitat builds under their belts, both local and international.

“With Brock having partnered with Habitat for Humanity internationally for a number of years, taking students on a variety of builds in the U.S. and El Salvador, among other locations, it’s great to have the opportunity to help families here at home who are in need of safe and affordable housing,” Howe said.

The all-female build, which is now underway, will benefit two families in Niagara Falls: one with five children living in overcrowded, unsafe conditions, and another with four children that requires an accessible home.