This post was updated March 4, 2020.

From aesthetic upgrades to complete landscape and fencing replacements, DPR employees work yearlong to build possibilities for the under-resourced. As a partner to local nonprofits serving economically underserved communities, DPR performs facility improvements to enable its partners to maximize their impact through increased capacity, promoting a greater sense of pride in their spaces, and increased safety and access.

One such effort was the renovation of a 100-year-old house for Girls Rock CLT, a nonprofit dedicated to helping young girls and gender diverse youth express themselves through music and film. Employees from the Charlotte, NC, office relied on strong relationships with DPR’s industry and community partners to see this project in the NoDa neighborhood through.

The plan was to build an ADA ramp off the front porch, but as enthusiasm for the project grew, so did the renovation scope. Ultimately, DPR volunteers and local trade partners completed a number of tasks to make the home ADA compliant, and sealed the ceilings to keep occupants safe. DPR also built a concert stage for program participants to jam out on. In sum, efforts encompassed donations like interior paint, furniture, HVAC upgrades, home security, kitchen appliances, concrete and stone. As a result, Girls Rock CLT has a bigger and better place to accommodate all its programs and unique space needs.

“When working with a smaller organization like Girls Rock, you’re helping them get on their feet, and you’re truly changing their world,” said Camille Farkas, who helped coordinate the effort. “Every little bit counts, and it means so much. DPR helped renovate and provide a critical space need that allows Girls Rock to have a safe space to put on music camps and provide for under-resourced youth. Ultimately we were able to get the momentum going within their organization.”

During an Open House event, DPR hosted a “Women in Construction” tent where youth could learn about careers in construction, construction safety, decorate vests and hard hats and finally, design a mural on the side of the house.

In 2019 alone, more than 350 DPR volunteers from across the U.S. completed 21 facility renovation projects for nonprofit partners, providing more than $1 million in pro bono facility construction projects.