By Nicole S. Daniel
The Birmingham Times
For years, women have become a driving force within the home improvement industry by grabbing tools to repair or renovate their homes in underserved communities.
Shellie Layne, founder of Women Under Construction Network (WUCN), has taken it to another level. “We’re about building women, a whole lot of home repairs and life repairs,” said Layne, about her nonprofit organization dedicated to women and their children in underserved communities facing critical economic/provisional needs.
Beginning in June and throughout the month, WUCN will host Building Hope: 21 Days of Kindness. The launch will be held on June 2 at Oxmoor Valley Community Center, 1992 Wenonah Oxmoor Road, Birmingham, AL 35211.
“We have about 170-200 volunteers this year. We do have a few men but mostly women who wants to build other women throughout Birmingham & Central Alabama for 21 days,” Layne said.
A similar event was held last year but this year’s is different because of the collaboration with other churches “and our Building Community Hope through Music Event on June 11 with Cornerstone Christian Church, and ‘Called 2 Worship Ensemble/ Allen Pruitt,’” Layne said.
Acts of kindness as part of the initiative have included giving backpacks of hygiene products and other necessities to women experiencing homelessness and showing up to local McDonalds to give women gift cards in the drive through lines. WUCN also partnered with 98.7 KISS FM to highlight volunteers during their acts of kindness.
Miles College graduate K’Mara Stinson said she volunteered last year and will again next month.
“I was honored to volunteer with these group of women,” she said, of the WUCN family. “. . . I love how that group of women pour into other women. I’ll be volunteering again this year and I look forward to networking and being amongst a group of women that enjoys pouring into other women.
This year’s acts of kindness will consist of:
- 100 home repairs – Minor home repair projects/Grass cuts for low-income elderly & low-income single moms
- 100 drive thru lunches
- 100 grocery and retail gift cards
- 100 legal wills
- 100 tool kit/home repair tools
- 100 grocery deliveries or gift bags/boxes
- 100 bus passes
- 50 elderly care calls
- 21 gift baskets to first responders, health professionals, essential workers and teachers
- 250 miscellaneous acts of kindness – including a BH21 mini-concert
“People do acts of kindness one time a year like around holidays but, we believe that acts of kindness should be continuous and performed by everyone,” Layne said.
The first 50 women to register and attend will receive a free BH21 T-shirt and a mini toolbox. To learn more about the WUCN and the Building Hope: 21 Days of Kindness campaign or to donate visit www.wucnetwork.org.
