The sole clubhouse of the Boys & Girls Clubs of North San Mateo County (BGCNSM) had been critically impacted by water intrusion and compounding maintenance issues for several years. The facility, which serves hundreds of families in the Pacifica, CA area through after-school care and other programming, was facing the possibility of temporarily closing to address repairs.

Enter DPR Construction. Alerted to the repair needs by BGCNSM board member and DPR community initiatives specialist Rena Crittendon, DPR’s Bay Area office jumped in to provide volunteer construction services and to leverage local trade relationships to procure materials at a discount. Between donated time from DPR’s Self-Perform Work (SPW) team, project managers, superintendents, and valued partners, completed repairs to the 10,000-sq.-ft. facility.

DPR Construction has partnered with Boys & Girls Clubs across the country for more than 15 years, providing facility renovations and repairs, educational programming, and board service. As a partner with BGCNSM since 2017, DPR has completed multiple facility renovations ranging from enhancements to allow clubs to remain open during COVID lockdowns to this major renovation.

The project was one of many DPR has completed in support of its philanthropic vision of building possibilities for the under-resourced through skills-based volunteering. Every year, DPR volunteers provide $2 million in facility improvements for organizations that create brighter futures for economically under-resourced community members. The BGCNSM project was complicated and had a short schedule, perfectly suited to DPR’s expertise as schedulers and technical builders.

As soon as the team received permits and approval to proceed, heavy winter storms rolled in causing significant weather delays. When the skies cleared, the team began work on the exterior by waterproofing the main classroom, making extensive roof repairs and improvements, and replacing gutters and all fascia boards. Inside the building, the team replastered and replaced drywall throughout the facility. Leveraging a strong vendor relationship, most of the materials for the project were donated by Channel Lumber, significantly reducing the project's cost.

“The improvements we made to the clubhouse will allow BGCNSM to serve families here for many, many years. Despite the challenges, I was honored to have the opportunity to dedicate time to an important part of our community,” shared Michael Brennan, a DPR senior superintendent. “The Boys & Girls Clubs are more like community partners than clients, but as clients go, they were the nicest I have ever worked with.”

With the much-needed renovations completed, BGCNSM no longer needs to worry about flooding or safety issues. Instead, they can focus on fulfilling their mission of empowering youth by fostering academic success, 21st-century skills, and post-secondary education plans.

“We are so grateful for this community partnership. DPR Construction has made a tremendous impact on our organization and community, allowing us to remain a staple for many years to come. They have made a difference in each of our lives; we will forever be thankful,” said Lipp.