TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2009
by Paula Widholm |
| Dan Brick of ARCO/Murray works on the plumbing wall of the break room for the renovation of Sharing Connections' warehouse. |
The Sharing Connections staff and volunteers that help local families in need of furniture and clothing now have a completely renovated space in which to operate, thanks to generous donations of labor and materials by local architecture, construction and engineering firms and their suppliers.
When Brad Dannegger, vice president of ARCO/Murray National Construction and regional manager in the firm's Oak Brook office, recently became a board member for Sharing Connections he quickly learned about the improvements needed to the nonprofit's 20,000-square-foot, 1970s warehouse in Downers Grove. And just as quickly, he offered up his construction firm to head the modernization charge.
"He jumped in with both feet," said John O'Gara, administrator, Sharing Connections. "We're in the charity business, not the construction business. He brought in not only his staff, but all other tradesmen to help us get this project accomplished."
The interior renovation project, which began Oct. 26 and was completed in early December, is valued at approximately $80,000; but Sharing Connections' total expense came to just over $5,000 for some of the materials.
"To accomplish donating the majority of the scope, we broke down the project into smaller packages and looked to several of our loyal subcontractors and vendors to us to help complete the work," said ARCO/Murray's Chris Niedhammer, LEED AP, who served as project manager. Brian Mattheis of ARCO/Murray was the project's superintendent. "Considering the current economy, Brad Dannegger and the rest of our team felt we've had a good year and knew this project was the right thing to do. Sharing Connections is a great organization that helps hundreds of families, and this was the best way for us to use our skills and relationships to help these families and more this Holiday Season."
In addition to dramatically raising the efficiency for the nonprofit's five-person staff and numerous volunteers, the families receiving the gently used furniture and clothing also can now receive assistance with dignity. "The families in need must go through a qualification process that includes talking about their situation and how the nonprofit can serve them," Niedhammer said.
Before the renovation, that conversation took place in an area partitioned off with bookshelves where personal financial and family matters could be overheard. "Now, families have a private and secure room to discuss these matters. Security and comfort for the families and volunteers were the major drivers for the project," Niedhammer said.
The warehouse manager also has his own office now, and staff and volunteers also received a new break room. A redesigned dock area and processing area helps the organization serve more people and handle more materials, O'Gara said.
Bringing Sharing Connections to this point came about through the goodwill of many. "We organized a volunteer day to hang the drywall for the project in order to help further reduce project cost," Niedhammer said. "The volunteers ranged from no experience to professional carpenters, and tools were donated for the event from participants. This event went from just helping to reduce project costs to a great hands-on learning experience that taught everyone skills they can use again in the future."
O'Gara called the new warehouse "a shot in the arm for us. There's nothing glamorous about working in a warehouse, but now it's a friendlier atmosphere that can accommodate more people."
Almost completely funded by private donations, Sharing Connections finds its clients through social service agencies from the county, churches, and private agencies, and has been located at 5111 Chase Ave., Downers Grove, since 2001.
Although more than 300 volunteers give some time to Sharing Connections every year, O'Gara said about 50 to 60 volunteers serve at the furniture bank one or more days every week sorting clothes, unloading furniture or entering data in the computer. For information, visit www.sharingconnections.org.
ARCO/Murray and Sharing Connections would like to give a special thanks to the following list of the participants who helped with the project:
- KLLM Architects
- ABCO Electrical Construction and Design
- MVP Plumbing
- CES Mechanical
- Fieldsource Construction
- In-Lite Electrical Construction Co. Inc.
- Anderson Moran Construction
- Palatine Builders Supply
- American Door and Dock
- Rainbow Glass
- Stried Painting Inc.
- Epic Building Group
- Noland Carpet Sales
- P&M Mercury Mechanical
- All of the volunteers that participated
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