Anna Todd is ready for a house of her own, and she and a team of women builders are just as ready to pound some nails to start construction.

They will get that opportunity Oct. 29 when work begins on Todd’s house by Women Build for Lawrence Habitat for Humanity.

“The main thing will be just to have a place of my own and security for my daughter,” said Todd, referring to her 7-year-old daughter, Alexus Todd. “We’re ready to have a bigger place.”

Todd and representatives of Women Build and Habitat for Humanity, along with community leaders, met Saturday morning for a breakfast on the vacant lot at Bullene and Homeward streets, where the house will be built. More than 60 people attended.

Women Build is an all-woman construction crew made up of volunteers who work in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity.

The breakfast also was used to bring awareness to the fact that money still needs to be raised to pay for the construction project.

The cost of the project is $52,500, and at least $34,000 needs to be raised to start construction. A little more than $28,000 has been raised, according to the Habitat for Humanity and Women Build Web site.

A series of fundraisers are being planned or are under way. For more information, check the Web site Lawrencehabitat.org. Monetary donations can be made directly to Habitat. Several business and community organizations are involved, said Ginger Ratzlaff, who leads Women Build.

Anna Todd, second from left, her daughter, Alexus, 7, and Anna's sister, Tomiacener Todd, meet Amy Cottrell, Lawrence, far left, who will be a new neighbor of Anna and Alexus when they move into their house made by Women Build, a project of Lawrence Habitat for Humanity. A breakfast and celebration for the 2005 Women Build project was held Saturday near the lot at Homewood Street and Bullene Avenue. Nail driving will begin Oct. 29. It will be the third house in Lawrence built by women for women.

“This is an amalgam of the community,” Ratzlaff said. “We’ve approached many organizations in town.”

Among those attending the breakfast was state Sen. Marci Francisco, D-Lawrence, and Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger. Praeger described the history of the nationwide Women Build program and encouraged the fundraising efforts.

The first Women Build house was built in 1999. Helping with that construction was Linda Graves, wife of then-Gov. Bill Graves, and the wives of the governors of Arkansas and Oklahoma, local representatives said.

Todd’s house will be the third built by Women Build. It should be ready after about 14 weeks of construction work, said Jean Lilley, executive director of Habitat for Humanity.

Habitat for Humanity is a partnership that builds houses for families in need. The family pays for the house without interest. Todd also will help with the construction.