Today, Habitat for Humanity Riverside was honored to attend YWCA’s Woman of Achievement Award ceremony.  Executive Director of Habitat, Karin Roberts, was one of seven recipients this year. Habitat staff & Board of Directors, Soroptimist International, friends and family all attended in support. As she sat among the most empowering women of Riverside, we couldn’t have been prouder of our Executive Director.Aqua Run 56

Here is an excerpt from the luncheon about Karin Roberts:

Is there anything more basic than wanting a home of one’s own? Even wild birds provide nests for their families, but in Southern California, a decent home for some IE residents became affordable only by the stewardship of Habitat’s executive director, Karin Roberts: Eleven families in 2010, many of them headed by women, now own Habitat Homes.

A special relationship with the YWCA also blossomed when the two agencies partnered for the YW’s Born Free and Living Free homes, two residential treatment programs for pregnant and chemically dependent women. Two additional Habitat programs blossomed under Karin’s leadership: “Helping Hands,” providing local low- and fixed-income persons with minor maintenance on their mobile homes; and “Homes for Heroes” for veterans and their families.

Karin’s education in Austria is a diploma, equivalent to a bachelor’s degree, in marketing from the University of Vienna. Her other community volunteerism includes Soroptimists Inernational-itself a powerful presence to empower girls and women-as a past president and active member, the Riverside Community Action Partnership, Riverside Neighborhood Partnership and Riverside International Relations Council, amongst others.