Employees Sponsor HDR Foundation Grants Spanning 13 States
Grants Support Charities With Unique Programs to Build Better Communities
The HDR Foundation announced 16 grants spanning 13 states, with more than $287,000 supporting a wide variety of causes in which employees personally invest their time.
“My work at HDR aligns with MetroSquash’s mission to empower underserved students to become healthy, thriving adults who experience strong physical, social and economic stability,” said Janet González Tudor, HDR transportation operation resiliency director. She sponsored a grant for a new vehicle to transport students to after-school activities. “MetroSquash supports students as they pursue their dreams, thereby also uplifting the local communities in which they live. As a first-generation Mexican American, the project is close to my heart.”
The latest grants support mentoring and reading programs, provide space for people experiencing mental health challenges and expand opportunities for people with disabilities — including a new elevator at the Hot Shops Arts Center to make the unique local arts community more accessible.
“There is nothing more special than watching the light bulb in a young student during their first visit to an engaging center of creativity, as an artist blows hot glass, spins clay on a wheel, hammers molten steel or paints an abstract canvas,” said Doug Bisson, HDR community planning and urban design principal and grant sponsor. “A new elevator will not only provide ADA access to all four floors of our main building, but it will allow Hot Shops the ability to program our creative spaces much more effectively, enhancing experience and education in the arts for all.”
Other grants support a youth-run community bakery, provide vision screenings for low-income students and introduce underserved communities to astronomy and recreational programs they might not otherwise get to experience.
“For years, Sail Sand Point has worked to strengthen our communities and promote inclusivity through spreading the joy of water sports to people of all abilities and backgrounds,” said Hannah Baumbach, HDR project accountant and sponsor of a grant for a new sailboat and gear for introductory sailing programs. “This grant will allow them to expand and enhance their positive impact in the Seattle area.”
Read more about the latest grants.
About the HDR Foundation
The HDR Foundation provides grants to qualified organizations that align with HDR’s areas of expertise: education, healthy communities and environmental stewardship. As an employee-funded and employee-driven foundation, preference is given to organizations located in communities in which HDR employees live and work, and those with strong employee involvement. Since its inception, the HDR Foundation has provided more than $7 million in grants to over 300 organizations.
About HDR
For over a century, HDR has partnered with clients to shape communities and push the boundaries of what’s possible. Our expertise spans more than 11,000 employees in more than 200 locations around the world — and counting. Our engineering, architecture, environmental and construction services bring an impressive breadth of knowledge to every project. Our optimistic approach to finding innovative solutions defined our past and drives our future.