Many of our staff start out as volunteers, and that was no different for Jenny Breed, who recently joined us as Shop Coordinator. We sat down with Jenny and chatted with her about her work here at the ReBuilding Center:
How did you first get involved at the ReBuilding Center?
I was looking for a career change, and learned about deconstruction while attending an Oregon Tradeswomen graduation for a friend. The concept of deconstruction resonated with me immediately—I have a degree in Archaeology, and deconstruction feels like a very hands-on way to interact with history. While waiting to do an apprenticeship, I got impatient and did a Google search for similar opportunities. The ReBuilding Center popped up, and I signed up to volunteer earlier this summer. Aaron (ReBuilding Center’s Program Coordinator) immediately took me in and I started regularly volunteering in the shop twice a week. When Aaron went on paternity leave, I was more than happy to help fill some of his responsibilities as a Shop Coordinator.
How were you introduced to woodworking/carpentry?
A few years back, I picked up a job helping with home repair. Initially, I was only helping with cleaning, but I very quickly started to absorb anything that my coworkers would show me. It was on this job where I first learned how to use a table saw, cut door frames, patch drywall, etc. Working with my hands was enjoyable, and being able to see a tangible result was very rewarding.
What is your favorite part of being Shop Coordinator?
When I first walked into the ReBuilding Center shop, I immediately felt trusted and empowered to do new things. There was an automatic trust here that I’m not used to experiencing. Getting to be a part of other people experiencing these same things is rewarding. I am able to show people power tools they’ve never used and sometimes are intimidated to use; I am able to empower others like I was empowered.
Why do you choose the ReBuilding Center?
A lot of what we do here has become a forgotten art because it’s so common to hire someone else and not think about the actual work. By making repair and building skills more accessible to learn, we become more able to be self-sufficient. This has a great affect on people, especially those who have been pushed away from learning these skills.
Anything else?
I have learned how meaningful reclaimed material can be. During each shift, I go out to the lumberyard with volunteers and pull reclaimed material to use in classes. Someone may donate a beat-up 2-by-4 that ends up being a treasured piece of a bench that someone made after learning how to use a drill for the first time. It’s a cycle that shouldn’t be ignored.
We are so glad to have Jenny on board! If you’re interested volunteering with Jenny in the shop, fill out a volunteer application here.