Chris, a Phoenix, AZ, high school student, was struggling with his online learning due to a chaotic home environment and unreliable internet connection. Local nonprofit New Pathways for Youth stepped in with support from a grant from the DPR Foundation, a 501(c)3 charitable organization. Chris was one of hundreds of students at New Pathways during the COVID-19 pandemic who benefitted from critical support and essential resources to aid their educational goals.

“Offering students a quiet place to work with a stable internet connection goes a long way,” said Mary Kate Nacke, communications coordinator at New Pathways for Youth.

Nacke notes that Chris significantly turned his online learning experience around with support from his New Pathways mentor and the additional resources they provided, such as a mobile internet hot spot, that were allocated from the funds gifted by the DPR Foundation.

As 2022 begins, the DPR Foundation is celebrating supporting more youth than ever before. In 2021, the Foundation reached new milestones by awarding the largest single grant pool of $1.3 million and the largest annual grant commitment of $1.46 million to 35 organizations across the country, including four new-to-DPR nonprofit partners.

Established in 2008 by Gavin Keith, Jeff Vertucci and DPR co-founder Peter Nosler, the DPR Foundation has built a legacy of building possibilities for under-resourced youth by partnering with local nonprofits serving economically underserved communities.

While the DPR Foundation has served as a key donor for 70+ nonprofits since its founding, DPR Construction has also taken an active role with many of these organizations through its volunteer-based community initiatives effort, establishing long-term partnerships.

Until recently, the Bay Area’s Boys and Girls Clubs of North San Mateo County’s facility lacked a proper room with enough computers for its students. In fact, the Club’s former computer room was given the nickname “the cave” due to its dim lighting.

After receiving a grant from the DPR Foundation, the Club was able to purchase materials for a facility upgrade and the technology it demanded for it to finally transform into the learning environment it was meant to be. Additionally, DPR Construction put their builder skillset to use by providing pro bono volunteer labor to execute the renovation itself.

“The contributions made by DPR have been invaluable to us because they truly give it their all,” said David Hartman, the interim CEO of the Boys and Girls Clubs of North San Mateo County.

Following completion, funds from the DPR Foundation grants supported the transformation of “the cave” into a STEM Center by purchasing more than a dozen computers, three big-screen televisions, 3-D printers, and equipping it with a sound system and sound room.

Every year, nonprofit organizations grow and adapt to meet the current needs of their youth and the DPR Foundation aims to support their missions by gifting unrestricted grants ranging from $10,000 to $60,000.

“Nonprofits know exactly where their money should be spent,” said Diane Shelton, DPR’s philanthropy leader who also serves as a director for the DPR Foundation. "We believe in our community partners' missions, and gifting unrestricted grants allows them to apply the funds to meet the greatest needs of their organization."

In Charlotte, NC, The ROC is a nonprofit construction trade school that connects high schoolers with apprenticeships in the trades, which could lead to well-paying careers.

For the last two years, The ROC’s DPR Foundation grant awards have been focused on job readiness training for their students and payroll for the instructors who facilitate it.

“We are preparing our high school students for the workforce and DPR has helped us pave the way for their success by continuing to invest in our job readiness and skills training,” said Darren Ash, the director of The ROC.

In addition to the financial support by the Foundation, DPR has become involved with The ROC’s summer apprenticeship program as well and has done facility renovations for two of their trade schools.

“It’s a special thing to find a corporate partner as deeply invested in all aspects of our work and who genuinely cares about helping our students reach their fullest potential,” said Ash. “Our staff and students really feel like DPR is part of our trade school.”

In 2021, DPR Construction volunteers completed more than 30 pro bono facility renovation projects for DPR Foundation grant recipients, further strengthening the relationships with the organizations as a dedicated corporate partner.

"Our community partners have been able to consistently provide essential services for youth and as a result, changing lives through the critical resources these organizations offer to further their personal and professional growth," said Whitney Dorn, president of the DPR Foundation. "We're thrilled to support them through the DPR Foundation and look forward to continuing to expand their resources together."