Hello! We are the Gresham, OR Jesuit Volunteer Community. Will you help jumpstart our service year with JVC Northwest? By contributing, you join us in our mission to help make the Pacific Northwest a sustainable region where all are treated justly and equitably. Your gift goes into a communal pool which keeps our partner nonprofit fees low and allows us to place Jesuit Volunteers in these communities for years to come.  

Meet our community:

Saunders Smithwick (she/her) will be serving as a Patient Care Liaison for houseless people at Center City Concern, connecting them with equitable healthcare. She is from Fort Collins, Colorado and naturally has a love for hiking and camping. She studied Public Health Sciences and Biology during undergrad and practiced as an EMT on campus for the student body. On the weekends, Saunders is an outdoor guide leading camping and backpacking trips for students.

Sarah O'Toole (she/her) recently graduated from John Carroll University with a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education. She loves hiking, exercising, volleyball, pottery, and exploring new places. She will be serving as s Garden Assistant with Serendipity Center.

Bianca Lopez (she/her) is originally from Atlanta, Georgia, and recently graduated from Boston College with a B.A in Sociology. She was involved in the Latino student organization during her time in college and was a mentor for first-generation students. She enjoys exploring new places and meeting new people. She enjoys reading books, watching documentaries, and listening to music to relax. A fun fact about her is that she is part of the 12% of the world that is left-handed. During this year she will be serving as a case manager at UNICA El Programa Hispano.

Chloe Balderson (she/her) enjoys reading, writing poetry, and playing video games. Chloe is from Nampa Idaho and received her Bachelor's degree in English, Writing, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication from Boise State University. A fun fact about Chloe is that she is the oldest of seven kids. She will be serving as the Digital Inclusion Outreach Coordinator at MetroEast Community Media.

Cate Keithline (she/her) is from New Britain, CT and just graduated from Boston College with a degree in Environmental Studies. She is excited to explore Oregon where she will be serving as a Day Support/Immersion Coordinator at JOIN. In her free time, Cate loves hiking, baking, and trying to finish NYTimes crossword puzzles.​


Thank you so much for jumpstarting our journey and supporting social and ecological justice in the Northwest.