For the past six years and counting, DPR and its Phoenix region employees have invested substantial resources and volunteer hours in support of Future for Kids (FFK), a community service organization serving local at-risk youth. In addition to over $200,000 in financial support in the past three years alone, DPR employees logged nearly 1,900 volunteer hours from 2013-2015 helping with FFK fundraising events, sports camps, its School of Construction and much more.

But perhaps nowhere has the depth of DPR’s commitment been more apparent, or the importance of community partnerships better illustrated, than in a recent fast-tracked, major new office finish-out completed for FFK through volunteer time and material donations.

The project became necessary when FFK found out they needed to quickly relocate their Scottsdale headquarters after a new developer bought the space. Future for Kids board member Bruce Shapiro of Arizona Partners generously offered up space in one of his retail buildings in Tempe – but the unfinished property needed a complete build-out to be useable.

DPR project manager Tim Hyde, current president of FFK’s board of directors, recognized that the project presented an opportunity to leverage their core building skills and capabilities on behalf of an important community partner. This was our opportunity to have a tremendous impact their mission,” Hyde commented.

Future for Kids' office renovation was completed in less than a month with volunteer labor and material donations. Photo courtesy Tim Hyde.

According to FFK’s Executive Director Madonna Bistany, the volunteer finishout project exemplifies the strong partnership that FFK and DPR have cultivated over the years – one that has been integral to their success.

“DPR Construction has stood alongside Future for Kids for over six years, supporting and strengthening our work with youth in the community,” she commented. “Having the support of a strong company like DPR allows FFK to focus on the important work of our mission. That is truly the power of well-established, philanthropic corporate relationships.”

Collectively, Phoenix employees logged some 236 hours on the project. That included a major effort by DPR self-perform crews, who donated nearly 100 volunteer hours on the job. Hyde estimated that DPR and other community partners put in place an estimated $50,000 worth of work – all at an out-of-pocket cost to FFK of around $8,000.

Volunteers from DPR's self-perform group framed up walls for the new office. Photo courtesy Tim Hyde.

The support was literally a godsend to FFK, according to Bistany.

“Our organization runs nine outreach programs each week serving 450 youths and three large scale camps around the Phoenix area,” Bistany said. “Having to move was a scary and complicated process. After sharing the location opportunity along with its challenges with our Board Chair, Tim Hyde, he immediately had the vision and know-how to make something from nothing.”

Reviewing plans in the empy shell space; volunteers in action; completed restroom. Photo courtesy Tim Hyde.