In the days leading up to Mother's Day, 175 construction crews of women volunteers across the country will be pounding nails and raising walls at Habitat construction sites across the country in recognition of National Women Build Week, May 2-10. In Cleveland County, local women volunteers will be manning tools and building materials, working on the Johnson family's new home.

Recording artist Tricia Yearwood is helping launch National Women Build Week by building with women volunteers in her adopted hometown of Tulsa on Tuesday. She will then build with women volunteers in Atlanta, near her hometown of Monticello, Ga., on Friday.

"There are so many emotions that you have all at one time," Yearwood said, describing her experience working with Habitat. "There's the feeling of physically helping someone else and the sense of self-esteem that that brings. Meeting the homeowner who's going to live in this home. And then there is this amazing feeling of getting to know these volunteers who dedicate themselves to this work every day. Just amazing!"

Developed through the partnership between Lowe's and Habitat for Humanity, National Women Build Week challenges women to devote one day to the effort to eliminate poverty housing. The event is an initiative of Habitat for Humanity's Women Build program, underwritten by Lowe's, which brings women from all walks of life together to learn construction skills and then use those skills to build simple, decent affordable houses.

"This house is the future home of Joseph, his son, Jo Jo, and 'Maw Maw' Diane. Jo Jo has Down's syndrome and leukemia and the family is recovering from staggering medical bills. Students from the OU Greek Community and the OU Student Chapter of Habitat for Humanity raised the money for the house and have provided most of the labor to build it. Today we have women from Alpha Gamma Delta and Pi Beta Phi sororities, women from the OU College of Architecture, and women from the local community painting the exterior and installing laminate flooring. We are also glad to have women from our generous partners at Lowe's working with us today. It is sure to be a productive and exciting day. We hope to get enough accomplished so that we can finish the house next week, just in time for Mother's Day," said Jana Castleberry, executive director of Cleveland County Habitat for Humanity, Saturday.

"Women participating in 'Women Build' have built two houses in Cleveland County. Today we want to celebrate this unique program, thank our National partners at Lowes, and reach out to women leaders in the community who want to begin working together to build a house in Norman later this year."

Lowe's is providing Cleveland County Habitat for Humanity a $5,000 grant in support of this one-day build. Nationwide, Lowe's committed $875,000 million to National Women Build Week, providing grants and event support materials to 175 participating affiliates.

"In our sixth year of supporting Habitat's Women Build program, Lowe's has seen the impact women volunteers are making toward eliminating poverty housing in our communities," said Larry D. Stone, Lowe's president and COO and chairman of the Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation. "National Women Build Week energizes community volunteers and Lowe's employees to build alongside families in need. And there's no better time than Mother's Day to remind people that we can help parents provide warm, safe homes for their children by supporting Women Build and other Habitat projects."

Cleveland County Habitat for Humanity, an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, is a nonprofit Christian organization dedicated to eliminating poverty housing. Habitat for Humanity brings together people with resources and people in need to build simple, decent, affordable houses. The houses are sold to those in need at no profit. Cleveland County Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1993 and has built 35 houses in Cleveland County. For more information on joining Women Build, call Castleberry at 360-7868.

Lowe's is a supporter of Habitat for Humanity International, American Red Cross, United Way of America, and the Home Safety Council, in addition to numerous nonprofit organizations and programs across the country. In 2008, Lowe's and the Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation together contributed more than $25 million to support community and education projects in the United States and Canada. Lowe's also encourages volunteerism through the Lowe's Heroes program, a company-wide employee volunteer initiative. For more information, visit Lowes.com/community.

Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has built more than 300,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 1.5 million people. For more information, visit www.habitat.org.