According to the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy’s (CECP) “Giving in Numbers 2014” report, there has been a 90 percent increase in pro bono donations in the U.S. among Fortune 100 companies since 2010. Donations of professional expertise, such as the construction skills wielded by DPR’s project teams, are widely considered to be the most effective way for businesses to make a positive impact on community issues. With our own DPR communities extending beyond our regional offices to remote jobsites located throughout the country, DPR encourages taking community initiatives on the road through volunteer initiatives spearheaded by our jobsite teams.

For example, DPR Hardin project team members volunteered their time and construction skills in Savannah, GA—a four-hour drive from their Atlanta office—to help a local nonprofit build a greenhouse that will be used for vocational training. The project, for the nonprofit organization, Emergent Structures, was built from repurposed materials, including lumber and refurbished windows from jobsites in the Savannah area. The greenhouse will be used by another nonprofit organization, Design For Ability, to teach special-needs high school youth skills related to food production.

“Using our resources to help the Savannah community has made us feel more at home here. Our team is based out of DPR Hardin’s Atlanta office, where we have long-standing relationships with many community organizations. We were fortunate to have the opportunity to use our skills as builders to help out in our own backyard,” said Christopher Bell, DPR’s coordinator for the project.

More than a dozen DPR Hardin volunteers contributed their expertise over several weekends to complete the project. Construction scope included helping to finish window framing and install components, such as interior pavers, a gravel apron around the structures, lights and fans, and window and door framing. In addition to the repurposed materials, the greenhouse also includes sustainable features like solar photovoltaic energy, rainwater catchment and passive solar heating.

The project represents a collaborative effort that harnessed the resources and participation of various local companies who contributed dollars, materials and time.

In 2014, DPR contributed more than 15,000 hours of volunteer time to organizations in our regional office and jobsite communities.

For more information and updates about all of DPR’s community initiatives, click here.