Women Build Beyond Homeownership

2026 Women Build Fundraising Allows Washington Homeowner to Safely Age-in-Place

Through Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity’s Helping Hands home repair program and the Liz Swanson Women Build Committee, homeowner Bonnie improved the safety and accessibility of her bathroom.  

Bonnie is a self-proclaimed “Farm girl from Charles City.” She moved around Iowa throughout her life, with a short stint in Missouri, spending most of her adult life caring for her five children.  Once an empty nester, she worked a variety of jobs, including at the local hospital, a respite care facility, a steel factory, and a casino. She has lived in her community for over 40 years – 28 of which in her current home, where she enjoys welcoming friends and family. 
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After retiring in 2018, her health began to decline. A heart condition led her to need a pacemaker, and in 2024 she had a hip replacement that has impacted her mobility. She loves her home but faces difficulty using her bathroom, which continues to put her health and safety at risk. A high-step bathtub and a low toilet make her bathroom inaccessible and unsafe. In addition, the sewer backs up into her bathroom drains, and there is a smell of mold whenever the shower is running.

Problem - Health and safety risks in the bathroom: The sewage system in Bonnie’s home was improperly installed, and recurring sewer backups pose physical and mental health risks, such as infections, gastrointestinal viruses, and chronic stress. Additionally, a prior lack of ventilation led to mold growth in an area of the bathroom. Due to her limited mobility, Bonnie needs accessibility modifications to use her bathroom safely.
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Helping Hands Solution: The team replaced her bathtub with a low-threshold shower and mitigated the mold behind it. They also replaced her toilet with one that is two inches higher and meets ADA requirements, which helps her safely transition from sitting to standing with more ease. Grab bars were installed in the shower and near the toilet. The team also addressed the improperly installed sewer system to prevent future backups. ​

Bonnie's home is over 100 years old, and she plans to stay in it for the rest of her life. She said the little income she has each month goes straight to her mortgage and bills, making additional expenses, no matter how critical, nearly impossible to afford. ​

“I always say I do not wear anything that has pockets because I have nothing in my pockets. That's why I'm grateful for programs like this.”

Regardless of the housing challenges she has faced in retirement, Bonnie focuses on the positive, like visits from her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. 

“It's hard, it’s difficult, but a person learns to accept it, and take it one day at a time, and do what you can.”​

HOW YOU CAN HELP 

Donate to support affordable home repairs for neighbors in our community. 

Donations to the Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity home repairs program help remove barriers to safe, decent shelter for homeowners with insufficient income through critical home repairs, accessibility modifications, and emergency repairs and major appliance replacements (ERMAR).
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That includes investing in repairs that improve energy efficiency now, so homeowners are not left paying the long-term cost of inefficient housing through higher utility bills, failing systems, and repeated repairs. 
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Together, we build homes that last. 
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*Emergency Repairs and Major Appliance Replacements (ERMAR) is a service of Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity’s home repair program and is currently only available to homeowners living in Johnson County, Iowa.