Donna Finney, a single mother of five and grandmother of one, has worked three jobs to pay the rent on an apartment that's too crowded and largely inaccessible for her disabled daughter.

The family's living arrangements will change for the better soon when Finney and her kids move into a Habitat for Humanity house that will be constructed largely by female volunteers in the Women Build program. Construction of the five-bedroom, 1,800-square-foot, fully wheelchair-accessible house is scheduled to begin March 1, in honor of Women's History Month.

"A blessing," Finney said with a smile at the prospect of owning her home. "I can't even describe how we feel. We're just excited and ready to have some space. We're all so close and family-oriented that it doesn't bother us to be in this little apartment, so we've made do. But now it's time for some space."

As a sign of the family's eagerness, moving boxes are already stacked against the living room wall in the family's South Richmond apartment. Their new home will be 5 miles away in a new 17-home subdivision on Angus Road, near Walmsley Boulevard, that will be the first complete neighborhood constructed in the city by Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity in its 22-year history.

Nationally, women make up half of Habitat's volunteer workforce, but only 15 percent of women are involved in actual construction. Women Build is an effort to encourage more women to swing hammers and saw boards. An estimated 250 female volunteers are expected to participate in the two-week "blitz" construction of Finney's home during the first two weeks of March, Habitat officials said. An additional 150 female volunteers are needed for the finishing work later in the month.

The house dedication is expected to take place at the end of March. If all goes well, Finney's family would move in soon after.

"I think the women-supporting-women initiative has a deeper context," said Leisha G. LaRiviere, executive director of Richmond Habitat who led the first local, grassroots Women Build project five years ago. "This group of women is modeling for our younger generation, and, at the same time, they're very tangibly supporting a mom and her family."

Construction of the Finney home is being led by two local women's networking groups, River City Express Network and The Network of Enterprising Women. Besides organizing the volunteers, the groups are raising the $65,000 construction cost of the house.

Like other Habitat homeowners, Finney will contribute 350 hours of "sweat equity" to the construction and buy the house through payment of a zero-percent interest loan. She said her monthly mortgage payment will be less than her $900 monthly apartment rent.

Juggling has long been a way of life for Finney. Her oldest child, Te'tia, 21, was born with cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. Finney found herself deep in medical bills, and has worked additional jobs to pay down her debt and repair her credit rating in order to qualify for a Habitat house. She's worked as a hair stylist at Hair Cuttery for a dozen years, and she also works a custodial job. In addition, she's held a third job at a hotel gift shop.

Currently in the process of a divorce, Finney has raised three children besides Te'tia -- Ebonie, 18, Meshaun, 14, and Irvin, 12, as well as a stepdaughter, Jovanna, 19, who has lived with her for 16 years. Ebonie's 2-month-old daughter, Natilyah, also lives with her. Jovanna attends community college, and Ebonie works for a local retailer and is planning to attend college in the fall. Everyone has household chores, and everyone looks forward to gatherings with their extended family. Finney is one of 11 children.

"After awhile you just get in a routine," Finney said of coordinating work and family. "Once you get a routine, it's easy to keep going. My family is used to me working, but they're not used to me working this many hours. But I tell them it won't always be like that, just until we get things situated the way they need to be." Contact Bill Lohmann at (804) 649-6639 or wlohmann@timesdispatch.com.