Women Build 2024 Participants Ask, “When’s The Next One?!”

The West Tuality Habitat for Humanity Women Build 2024 event drew 25 participants in late July, mostly women, all people who wanted to learn about basic home building and get their hands on basic construction tools they weren’t familiar with. Every year has had a different activity for participants, and this year, they learned to use drills and impact drivers, then used these tools and newfound knowledge to construct practice walls, and then real walls to be used in in the construction of a shed for one of West Tuality Habitat’s home owners.

Some photos from the day are posted at the end of this article.

Members of the core group of West Tuality Habitat volunteers who work each week constructing and rehabilitating houses in Western Washington County joined home repair staff and the head of West Tuality Habitat’s construction program to guide participants in the day’s activities. Participants were divided into twos and threes and put to work almost immediately, learning about the tools and then using them, under the guidance of experienced Habitat volunteers and staff. Participants also learned basic tool safety and visited the new construction building in the back of the West Tuality Habitat lot in Forest Grove, where Habitat volunteers will be able to do prefabrication projects to use in our home construction projects.

At the end of the event, a delicious lunch was served in the shaded outdoor work area and prizes were given to every participant, including a variety of tool kits, individual tools, appliances and more. All participants also received a t-shirt commemorating the event.

Representatives from the two primary sponsors, Thrivent and First Community Credit Union, participated in the tool clinic and build activities, as did one of our future homeowners. Other event sponsors included State Farm Agent Bunny Girt, Edward Jones Financial Advisor Sharon Olmstead, VAN DYKE Appliances, Wedge & Cured - Charcuterie boards and North Plains Chamber of Commerce.

One of our current homeowners was on hand to help take photos and was interviewed by KPTV Fox 12 for a story that aired that evening and the next morning.

This Women Build event is meant specifically for those who might feel some hesitation about Habitat construction volunteering and also want to be more comfortable in using basic construction and repair tools. The goal of the event is to empower participants to learn more about basic home repair, to show them what working on a Habitat home can be like, and introduce them to the programs of Habitat for Humanity. This is West Tuality Habitat’s effort to establish an ongoing “Habitat University” to train more volunteers to regularly volunteer with us in our construction projects, and with additional financial support, we could host a second Women Build before the end of 2024 (you can donate to this and other Habitat projects here).

Please note that women are ALWAYS welcomed to ANY Habitat construction or home repair project - you do not have to ever wait to be involved with West Tuality Habitat for Humanity! Men are also welcomed to participate in the Women Build event, or any Habitat construction or repair projects. While the Women Build event is focused on improving the inclusion of women in the work of building homes, the initiative does not exclude volunteers of any gender or gender identity, nor does it allow discrimination of any kind.

Please note that West Tuality Habitat has home construction projects, home repair projects and activities that volunteers can support in our ReStore happening every week, year round. We sometimes even have online volunteering opportunities! Check out our diversity of volunteering opportunities here, as well as immediate needs posted at VolunteerMatch. Contact us at if your group would like to arrange its own group volunteering event with us: email us volunteer@westtualityhabitat.org or call us at 503-359-8459.

West Tuality Habitat for Humanity is a local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International and was formed in 1991. In addition to the affordable housing program, West Tuality Habitat also has a critical home repair program for low-income seniors, military veterans, and people with disabilities, allowing them to remain in their homes and age in place. West Tuality Habitat also operates a ReStore in Forest Grove, selling gently-used, donated furniture, appliances, home furnishings and leftover building supplies. These sales help fund its Habitat activities in the area. 

For more information about donating financially, volunteering or applying to be a program participant, visit the West Tuality Habitat for Humanity web site at www.westtualityhabitat.org or call (503) 359-8459. There is also information available at the Forest Grove ReStore at 3731 Pacific Avenue.