Dykes With Drills

Founded by Julie Perri (in photo), Dykes With Drills is a non-profit that empowers people with the tools to build. By hosting skill building workshops, retreats, volunteer events and meet-ups across the US, they cultivate opportunities for individuals to connect with each other and use power tools. Some of their students end up making a career of construction and are able to support themselves and their families. While they are teaching a skill, they also strive to make events fun for the participants and meaningful to the community. They have built community skate ramps, improved buildings for a performing arts center, and are currently involved in a community gardening project for youth.

Dykes With Drills used the Giving Joy grant to award a partial scholarship to BIPOC women to participate in the Tiny House workshop series. These participants would not have otherwise been able to participate. In this series, a group of 12 women built a tiny house on a trailer. In the first series, the participants built the frame of the tiny house. In the second series, participants installed windows, doors, exterior trim and siding on the tiny house.