2026 Women Build
Manatee County Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build campaign is a powerful movement that empowers women from all walks of life to come together and provide a single mother and her family with a safe, affordable place to call home. Please join us in fundraising, building, and event planning yearlong to get our 2026 Women Build homeowner into their home. Donations and volunteering are key to the success of our Women Build Campaign. We rely on individuals like you to chip in and help us fund the construction of the home and plan our many Women Build fundraising events through out the year.
This year, our 2026 goal is to raise $50,000 to help Erica, a single mother, achieve her dream of safe, affordable homeownership, and thanks to a generous $50,000 matching challenge from a major donor, every dollar raised will have double the impact.
Our Women Build Wall Raising Day Is Saturday, June 20th!
The time has come to raise the walls of Erica’s home! Join the amazing women who have worked all year long to fundraise for this very home as we rally together to raise the walls that will hold Erica and her families memories for years to come!
- Date: Saturday, June 20th
- Time: 8 AM
- Location: 53rd Ave E & 37th St E, Bradenton
How to Participate
To join us for Wall Raising Day, participants must either:
- Be part of a qualifying fundraising team that has raised a minimum of $100 per person, or
- Make an individual donation of at least $100 toward Erica’s future Habitat home
2026 Women Build Homebuyer, Erica’s Story
Born and raised in Bradenton, Erica’s story is one of resilience, determination, and hope. After graduating from Lakewood Ranch High School and attending the University of Florida, she dedicated years to caring for others through her work as both a veterinary technician and later as an ultrasound technician.
Erica is also a devoted mother to her two young sons, Brantly and Wesley. In 2023, after experiencing verbal and physical abuse in her relationship, she made the courageous decision to leave in search of safety, stability, and peace for her children. Today, Erica and her sons are living in a traveling RV parked on her mother’s property while she works tirelessly to provide for her family and manage her children’s health needs.
Now, through Women Build, Erica is taking the next step toward creating a safe and stable future for her boys. For Erica, homeownership represents more than just a house — it’s a fresh start, a place of healing, and the opportunity to build a brighter future for her family.
Thanks to the support of our community and the power of Women Build, Erica’s dream of homeownership is becoming a reality. Join us as we rally together to help build strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter for Erica and her family.
Every dollar raised through the 2026 Women Build goes directly toward building Erica and her family’s forever home.
