DPR’s commitment to be integral and indispensable to the communities where it works starts at the top. That point was driven home recently when 45 individuals from the executive management committee and unit leaders from DPR offices across the country came together for a service project at an under-resourced Bay Area elementary school.

During an annual four-day business summit, the DPR leaders took an afternoon off April 12 to get their hands dirty working on a project that delivered needed improvements for students at Webster Elementary School in Daly City.

The workday started off with a Stretch & Flex session. Photo courtesy Everett Rosette.

The project was coordinated through Rebuilding Together, a community based organization that DPR works with across the U.S. The service project illustrated DPR’s emphasis on skills-based initiatives that tap into employees’ core competencies, namely building and engineering, to make a difference in local communities.

It also was just plain fun, according to Rena Crittendon, community initiatives coordinator for the Bay Area region.

“There was a lot of feedback about what a great time they had, how it was a great bonding experience and how good it felt to get out there and make a difference for those children,” Crittendon said. “This project was a highlight of the summit and really got them motivated to take the inspiration back to their regions to pursue these types of initiatives.”

Photo courtesy Everett Rosette.

The work entailed adding a bench and planters in three quad areas of the school grounds, repairing and painting school benches, and freshening and repainting a host of games on the blacktop, ranging from four square to basketball courts.

DPR’s concrete crews will be returning to the school next month to form and pour a 100-ft. pathway that the school also requested, as part of the partnership initiative with Rebuilding Together.

Photo courtesy Everett Rosette.

In addition to their longstanding focus on safe and healthy housing, Rebuilding Together is positioning itself as a leading provider of community revitalization efforts. Projects like this for Webster Elementary elevate the quality of life for individuals area-wide, leading to a more safe, healthy and thriving community.