Nearly 50 young volunteers recently rolled up their sleeves at Kenton Women’s Village, building, painting and learning along the way. The visit brought together longtime Catholic Charities partner, Tivnu and Camp Tawonga’s Teen Leadership Institute for a week of service designed to leave both Portland communities and young participants changed for the better.
For Tivnu, Kenton Women’s Village isn’t just another volunteer site.
Years ago, Tivnu participants helped construct the village’s original fence and entryway. Since then, those cedar boards have become home to two colorful murals welcoming visitors with messages of hope and belonging.
This summer, Tivnu returned with some extra helping hands from participants in Camp Tawonga’s Teen Leadership Institute (TLI).
Tivnu began working with Camp Tawonga in 2023. Each summer, TLI participants make the long trip from the camp near Yosemite National Park in California to Oregon, mixing adventure and sightseeing with nearly a week in Portland. While here, they join forces with Tivnu to learn about houselessness and contribute to organizations serving the community.
At Kenton Women’s Village, that meant extending the existing fence using recycled cedar and tackling a long list of improvement projects, including painting, building shelving and completing repairs that help keep the village safe, functional and welcoming.
Kenton Women’s Village was one of four Portland-area organizations hosting participants during the service program, alongside Kindness Farm, p:ear and Hazelnut Grove. Over three days, 48 participants and six Tivnu trainers rotated through projects across the city.
“It’s incredible to watch so many young people spend their summer investing in others,” said Allison Pantano-Rumsey, program coordinator at Kenton Women’s Village. “Every brushstroke, every board they install and every repair they make helps create a space where women can feel safer, more comfortable and more at home. Their generosity has a lasting impact long after the week is over.”
Building Skills While Building Community
Helping make the experience possible were people with longstanding connections to Tivnu and its work.
Dalia Benor, 21, of Santa Monica, Calif. first joined Tivnu during its gap year program two years ago, drawn to the opportunity to combine meaningful service with hands-on construction projects.
Today, she’s studying early childhood development and special education with plans to become a speech-language pathologist, but she still finds joy in woodworking, fixing things and learning new skills. Benor was part of an earlier Tivnu cohort that worked on the gate and entryway at Kenton Women’s Village.
“I’ve always loved making things with my hands, and Tivnu gave me a chance to do that while working toward something bigger than myself,” Benor said. “Coming back and seeing the village grow — and knowing I get to help build on something we started a few years ago — is incredibly rewarding.”
Experiences like these are at the heart of Tivnu’s partnership with Camp Tawonga. The goal isn’t simply to complete a construction project. Through service and education, participants learn more about houselessness and the people and organizations working to address it — perspectives they can carry home and into their everyday lives.
Volunteers Who Keep Showing Up
Among the Tivnu trainers was Chris Hallstrom, a mathematics professor at the University of Portland and Tivnu volunteer. Kenton Women’s Village marked his third volunteer project of the summer.
Hallstrom credits much of his involvement to his friendship with Tivnu construction coach Erik Brakstad, who has spent much of the past year volunteering at Kenton Women’s Village on projects ranging from office pod construction to ongoing site improvements.
“I enjoy working with the students just as much as I enjoy the projects themselves,” Hallstrom said. “It’s rewarding to spend a day using your hands, learning alongside young people and contributing in whatever way you can. If you have skills to share, or you’re willing to learn, there’s always a way to help.”
Stability Takes a Community
The improvements made during the week will last well beyond a summer visit. But the partnership represents something bigger than new fencing, shelving or freshly painted walls.
It reflects what can happen when organizations bring people together around a shared belief that everyone deserves a safe place to heal and rebuild.
At Kenton Women’s Village, stability takes dedicated staff, committed volunteers, generous donors and community partners. Tivnu has returned to the village again and again, bringing not only construction expertise but new groups of people ready to learn and contribute. This summer, Camp Tawonga’s Teen Leadership Institute became part of that story.
As part of Catholic Charities of Oregon’s Summer of Stability campaign, we’re inviting our community to help ensure Kenton Women’s Village remains a place of safety and hope.
Volunteer your time. Make a gift to support the women we serve. Share their stories and help more people understand the power of community.