Membership
Now More Than Ever: Join The Builders and Stand With Trillium
We are in a critical moment, not just as an organization, but as a movement.
At Oregon Tradeswomen, we’ve spent more than three decades breaking down barriers for women and gender minorities in the skilled trades. But today, the political climate is threatening everything we’ve built.
As a nonprofit rooted in equity and inclusion, we’ve felt the direct impact of recent political attacks on DEI efforts. Several of our largest grants have either been rescinded or put on hold due to legal challenges, jeopardizing the programs that empower our students and sustain our mission.
In the face of this instability, we’re launching The Builders. A new community of monthly donors who are stepping up to help us weather this storm. Monthly giving allows us to plan ahead, keep our programs running, and continue offering life-changing training at no cost to our students.
Here’s what that impact looks like:
By joining The Builders, you’re not just giving monthly; you’re helping protect access, opportunity, and economic justice for the people who need it most. Even $5/month makes a meaningful difference.
Be part of the foundation that holds us together in hard times. Join The Builders today: Become a Monthly Donor
Thank You to Footwear Specialites!
Oregon Tradeswomen ensures that our students are properly equipped for the work they will be doing during the hands-on learning days of the Trades and Apprenticeship Career Class. For example, when welding, it is imperative to have sturdy boots, generally made of leather, with six- to eight-inch ankle coverage and safety-toe protection.
We know how expensive good boots are, and were ecstatic when a wonderful local company, Footwear Specialties, responded to our need for boots that are welding appropriate. Footwear Specialties generously donated 10 pairs of boots to us to be used by students in our pre-apprenticeship program. In addition, they’ve offered a 40% discount to all Oregon Tradeswomen members, staff, and board!
Footwear Specialties was started in 1996 by people who had worked in athletic footwear and who wanted to blend the lightweight features of athletic shoes with the safety features of work shoes/boots. The result is a growing line of innovative footwear. They offer over 200 different styles to meet the increasingly technical demands of industrial workers and working environments and even are committed to creating shoes and boots specifically designed for women.
There’s a warm, fuzzy feeling we get when local businesses, organizations, and folks from our community want to get involved or pay it forward. These actions show us that people value the work Oregon Tradeswomen does and that they want to support the incredible women who are changing their own lives by going through our pre-apprenticeship program. A big, gracious thank you to Footwear Specialties for their donation and continued support. We hope you will show them some love for their generosity and commitment to tradeswomen.
Thank you, Footwear Specialties!