Jon Gice moved fairly often throughout his career in the insurance industry. And his retirement in 2016 brought one more relocation.  “My daughter, my son-in-law, and two grandkids live here (in Portland). So, it was a magnet to move from Connecticut to Oregon,” Jon said.  Jon and his wife happily helped take care of their […]

With a background in fine arts, Lynn opened her own interior design business in 2010 and became known as the sustainability expert among her peers. It was her vocation in her work as a designer and an educator, working with clients interested in sustainable practices, healthy materials, and affordable and accessible housing. “I’ve always been […]

Alex Coltman dreams of one day becoming Oregon’s first Latina senator. But first, she’s got to finish high school.   At only 17 years old, Alex has already decided she is going to change this country for the better.  She’s already well on her way, in fact, starting with her home community.   “With people of my […]

Wherever Alex Ragland is in the world, no matter the country or time zone, he knows he can find comfort and community with Habitat for Humanity.   It all started when he was in college. Alex found his school’s branch of Habitat while attending Austin College in Texas. He was already keeping busy with his fraternity […]

Jack Robinson and his three friends stood over a half-built furniture set, aligning stubborn nuts and bolts that would soon shape up to be a brand new glider and coffee table. The directions were complicated and the materials were heavy, but that didn’t stop them from cranking out three of those sets within a couple […]

Little girls often dream of becoming princesses, ballerinas, fashionistas and movie stars. Amelia Byko wanted to build houses.   As a child, Amelia built houses out of anything she could find. She fashioned her first one out of a jewelry box with the drawers rearranged to represent bedrooms. She makes these miniature dollhouse-like projects in all […]

Habitat volunteers Sandi and Spencer have taken family bonding to a whole new level.   The mother and son duo volunteer at the Foster Commons site every Thursday, helping to construct what will eventually be a thriving 40-home community in the Pleasant Valley neighborhood. They have each dedicated more than 65 hours of volunteer work […]

By Monicia Warner, Volunteer Storyteller  If you walk into the Gresham ReStore on any given Thursday, you’ll notice a line five or six people deep in the jewelry section. New customers might not think anything of it, but seasoned shoppers will recognize it as a sure-fire sign that volunteer Stephanie Payne — the ‘jewelry curator’ […]