March is National Women’s History Month and contains International Women’s Week (March 8-14). This month brings awareness to all of the contemporary and historical accomplishments of women, and advocacy for greater gender equity across the globe.

This month we’re excited to support Portland nonprofit organization Girls Build. Girls Build teaches girls 8 - 14 years old the basics of carpentry, electrical, plumbing, roofing, painting, auto and bike mechanics, sheet metal and more via summer camps and after-school workshops. Learning these practical life skills fosters creativity and empowers girls with confidence, independence and knowledge.

Since their beginning in 2016, Girls Build has taught over 2100 girls through their summer camp and after school programming. They are passionate about ensuring money is not a barrier for any girl who wants to participate, and in fact most participants attend on scholarships. Free programming is offered to any child involved in the foster care system, and Girls Build welcomes girls from all over Oregon having given out over 500 scholarships. As a nonprofit, donations are essential to the organization’s ability to offer these scholarships and equitably offer programming to all.

Girls Build summer camps are held at various places throughout the state. Forty girls attend camp each week, taking four workshops per day interspersed with breakfast, lunch, and teambuilding activities. All camp instructors are expert tradeswomen with a wide variety of skillsets, and Girls Build involves the community by incorporating trades like the fire department to come out and teach for a day. In one week of camp girls learn 10 different trades!

While at camp, participants work on smaller individual projects, week-long projects, and team projects with their assigned crew. In 2019, girls built: three playhouses which were donated to local non-profits, two picnic tables, a chicken coop and an airplane play structure which were all donated to local non-profits including Head Start. For girls who love camp so much they want to come back for another round, they can apply to the “Returners” camp and build on learned skills with new projects.

After school programming is held at the Girls Build warehouse in Portland. Occasionally there are even women’s classes “for the building girls in the adult us.” During the month of March 2022, Equilibrium will match all donations to Girls Build. To donate directly or volunteer with Girls Build click here. Together we can support this awesome organization and empower a future generation of women!