Jenkins and Potter – Outstanding Pillars of Community Building

Written by Tim Buckley, August 2026

These women exemplify hospitality. The bright vests they wear at CBEL neighborhood events identify them as volunteers, but the broad smiles they wear are a beacon for anyone looking for answers like:

• “Can you help me set up my resource table?”

• “Where can I find…...?”

• “What time does the meal start?”

• “Can I volunteer next year, and can my kids join me?”

Stephanie Jenkins and Christine Potter are more than super volunteers. In addition to being members of different Neighborhood Family Councils, they come to all CBEL’s events. They’re part of the reason why the meaning of “family” is now a hallmark of CBEL’s work in adversely affected neighborhoods in Salem and Keizer.

Despite their lives being drastically different, both Stephanie and Christine have remarkably similar values which they express through volunteering. They were asked: “What do you hope to gain through your work as a volunteer and a neighborhood leader?”

Stephanie said: “I want to be in service to the community. Specifically, I love to help children. And I’m an introvert, so this is a great way to make friends and build community.”

Christine said: “I have a passion for education, and I love how our neighborhoods are connected to the elementary schools. I find trusted friends here because we have so many common issues among us.”

The issues Christine referred to include economic struggle, higher than average crime rates, lower academic achievement, and lack of influence in city and county decisions. These are core reasons CBEL is working in the city’s most adversely impacted neighborhoods, to reverse those trends. Both Christine and Stephanie’s experience point to signs that the model works, because the people living in those neighborhoods are driving the change they want to see.

Stephanie has lived in Salem since she was two years old. Her life went sideways early but she’s been on a positive track ever since, escaping an abusive relationship that left her nearly penniless and then signing over custody of her children rather than exposing them to homelessness. Her children now adults, Stephanie enjoys opportunities to visit regularly with two daughters and a delightful granddaughter wholive near Salem.

“I’ve lived in the same affordable apartment for 12 years,” Stephanie said. “I finally got my GED in 2019 and started studying hospitality at Chemeketa Community College,” she continued. “I’ve got good problem-solving skills and when I learned about CBEl starting in my neighborhood during the early part of COVID, I was super interested.”

Stephanie is now the Vice-Chair of the Hallman-Northgate Neighborhood Family Council. It was her idea to have the first Halloween party in Northgate Park. Multiple events held in the park for six years have helped transform the park into a neighborhood asset, not the dangerous place it was beforehand.

“The benefit to me is having a social circle of people who care about each other, and the families who live around us,” she said. “There is a joy in knowing that contributing my skills and resources brings relief and happiness to others.”

“It’s so different now, from the days when people were a bit reluctant to show up. Each event, the number of people increases. We had more than 1200 neighbors show up for our Fun Friday this July,” she added. “Parents are bringing their children, and kids are bringing their friends and relatives. There are more than 50 local resources organizations that show up with games, giveaways, and great information.”

“Three other benefits I’ll mention,” Stephanie added. “First, our neighborhood council is having a positive impact on the Hallman Elementary School, with our incentives to increase student attendance and teacher appreciation. Secondly, being part of the Council has helped me broaden my horizons a lot, and I can now express myself more confidently.

And the final great thing: my sister is now volunteering with me!”

Christine and her husband were full-time RV’ers for six years, wandering around the West in a large RV. When they tired of living in a trailer park, they decided to sell the RV and settle in Oregon, where she is employed and “wears many hats, executive administrator and accountant included,” she laughed.

In 2022, they found a home they could afford, in the North Lancaster neighborhood located near the intersection of Sunnyview Road and Lancaster. “It has a big yard with space for our dogs,” she said.

The neighborhood at the time was marked by a lot of crime, including theft, drug dealing and open use. Although she describes herself as an introvert, Christine decided to get involved, be part of a network, learn about local government and help bring more attention and resources to the neighborhood, so as to encourage lawfulness and safety.

She learned about the North Lancaster Neighborhood Association (NOLA) from the Salem City website and went to one of their monthly meetings. “Neighborhood associations are well connected to City staff,” she said, “and they know how things work.”

At the time, Julie Hoy (current Salem Mayor) was a city counselor, as well as a business owner in that part of the city. “Julie told me, ‘It’s not that hard’ when I asked about the responsibility of a neighborhood association person. So, at the first meeting, I agreed to be on NOLA’s executive board. I’m still the Secretary and Treasurer of NOLA,” she said. NOLA has been effective at drawing attention and support from local government to address the public safety issues facing the neighborhood.

When CBEL began organizing the neighborhood family council in the same neighborhoods surrounding Washinton Elementary (2024), Christine was there representing NOLA and, at the invitation of Eduardo Angulo (CBEL director), said yes to joining the Washington Neighborhood Family Council. She is currently serving as the Council co-chair and is CBEL’s liaison with the NOLA board.

“Our Council has focused a lot on making connections with the Washington school, supporting efforts to increase student attendance and parent participation,” Christine said. “I think my being a conduit between NOLA and our Family Council is beneficial. But I’m particularly interested in improving the experience for students and am a strong advocate for expanding the use of RULER (a social/emotional learning tool) throughout the school district.”

Christine is also volunteering two days a week at the school, where she tutors 3rd grade students in math. “I love working one-to-one with them. How joyful to see those little lights go on,” she said, about when a math concept clicks in.

“There’s a deep trust in place,” she said about her work with CBEL. “It comes from finding other people with similar values. Our training in Outward Mindset and RULER has helped a lot, moving away from merely transactional relationships to ones based on listening, engaging, and empathizing with people with different life experiences than mine.”

“CBEL’s success, in my opinion, comes from building this level of trust, and then attracting hundreds of volunteers who want to be part of that experience,” she concluded. “There’s a strong snowball effect as those who are getting benefit invite others to join.”