PENSACOLA, Fla. – Pensacola Habitat for Humanity’s Eleventh Annual Women Build has united over 100 women from across the community in pursuit of a common goal –$150,000 to support Pensacola Habitat for Humanity’s mission and to provide affordable housing opportunities for women in their community. More than just a fundraiser, Women Build is a unique, powerful opportunity for women dedicated to their community to meet others like them, to strengthen existing bonds and to demonstrate the impact women can make together.

 One of the most popular fundraising opportunities provided to Women Build participants is working the concessions stands at select Pensacola Blue Wahoos home games, leveraging Pensacola Habitat for Humanity’s partnership with the organization to mutually benefit both parties. The Women Build volunteers operate an entire concession stand and receive a portion of the concession’s sales as a donation to their fundraisers. Originally started in 2021, the partnership has grown much larger over the years, with over $45,000 contributed towards the 2023 Women Build campaign coming from the Blue Wahoos and their food and beverage provider, RS3 Strategic Hospitality. More than just raising money, the Blue Wahoos opportunities have resulted in creating a new Women Build team too, as working in the busy concessions environment brought an unlikely group of women closer together. Named the S.P.O.R.T.S. Builders thanks to their origins, these Women Build participants come from all over the community and include women of all ages and backgrounds.

“There was a small, core group of us that worked a lot of games together. Through the craziness of taking orders, hunting down pretzels, and serving food we grew to be friends,” Women Build participant Emily Rauch said. “Most of us weren’t on teams and were working to earn our way onto the build via the individual route. Now, I have a wonderful group of ladies that I can count on and who can count on me. If any of them need help, I’m just a phone call away and I know I’ve got a dozen phone numbers who would do the same for me. I was honored to be asked to join the team and am extremely proud of what we have gone on to do as a group.”

Team S.P.O.R.T.S. Builders have quickly risen to become the top fundraising team, raising $35,675 in 2023 and continuing their fundraising efforts in 2024 with nearly $50,000 raised so far. That fundraising total puts them up near the top fundraising teams over the 11-year history of Pensacola Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build. 

While the S.P.O.R.T.S. Builders are a new team created for Women Build, the team ahead of them in all-time fundraising existed well before Women Build. That’s the SWAT Build Sisters, a group of women from the local Mardi Gras organization Krewe of SWAT that have raised over $102,000 all-time for Pensacola Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build campaign.

Standing for Saints With Aggressive Tendencies, the Krewe of SWAT has a longstanding involvement with the community, participating in many fundraising efforts for local nonprofits. SWAT’s Women Build efforts are highlighted by their annual raffle baskets, where the Krewe leverages their connections in the community to offer exclusive, one-of-a-kind baskets full of great gift cards, jewelry, travel packages and many more great offerings that demonstrate the creativity and passion that these Women Build participants have for raising money towards their goal.

“Krewe of SWAT believes in community, supporting and uplifting each other and their brothers and sisters within the community,” said team leader Tammy Lynn Barr.  “Working with various nonprofits such as Pensacola Habitat for Humanity helps to further that commitment, and that brings us together, stronger with our common heart of service.  This being a fundraiser that involves women and the power that they have to be 'Change Makers' was attractive to us and follows our passion of showing women that we can do anything we put our minds to.”

Both the S.P.O.R.T.S. Builders and the SWAT Build Sisters demonstrate the variety of ways that Women Build can empower women in the community. Whether it’s by creating new bonds or deepening existing ones, Women Build shows the impact that committed women can make on affordable housing, and remains Pensacola Habitat for Humanity’s largest fundraising campaign, with this year’s campaign likely to push the all-time total past $1 million raised across 11 years.

To join or donate to Women Build, visit womenbuild.pensacolahabitat.org.