As a culmination to Primera’s 30^th anniversary celebration, employees from our Chicago and Lisle offices partook in a special give back day benefitting the children and families of the El Valor Carlos Cantu Children & Family Center in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood. The give back day was organized through our partners at Rebuilding Together Metro Chicago, whom we work with on an annual basis for National Rebuilding Day, which takes place every April. “This year we wanted to do something a little different and make a bigger impact in our communities, so we took two of our favorite non-profit organizations and created a new opportunity for Primera to get involved at the local level and make a difference that touches more individuals,” says President & CEO Erin Inman. Over 25 Primera employees and friends gathered at El Valor to complete a wide variety of repair and refresh projects at the facility. Thankfully the rain held out as most of the beautification projects took place outside. Some of the work our volunteers accomplished included: mulching and landscaping the outdoor play area, repainting and cleaning a large supply shed, sanding and varnishing classroom tables and chairs, relocating large planter boxes and restriping their parking lot.

While Primera has partnered with Rebuilding Together Metro Chicago for many years, this is the sixth year in a row where we have sponsored either a home or larger location. Primera’s Architecture Group Lead Jill Deichmann is currently serving in her final year as the President of the Board of Directors for Rebuilding Together Metro Chicago and says that she is “thrilled that Primera was able to help El Valor save on funds they would have otherwise used on the work that we performed. Rebuilding Together’s mission has always been to revitalize low-income communities. By working with El Valor this year, we have multiplied the impact of our efforts and we are happy to help them continue to be the second largest provider of early childhood education in the city!”

In conjunction with the work Primera completed at the facility, we also organized a book and clothing drive in the weeks leading up to the give back day. Employees who were unable to volunteer still had the opportunity to participate by donating new and used books and clothes for the children and families of El Valor. We look forward to continuing our partnership with both Rebuilding Together Metro Chicago and El Valor for many more years to come.

Check out our video highlighting our fun-filled day:

Rebuilding Together Metro Chicago is an affiliate of Rebuilding Together, the nation’s largest volunteer organization dedicated to preserving and revitalizing low-income houses and communities, and one of more than 200 chapters across the country. Each year, in preparation for National Rebuilding Day, Rebuilding Together Metro Chicago recruits and trains sponsor teams, identifies and screens homeowner applicants, raises private funds for building materials, and coordinates the logistics of a volunteer effort that encompasses over 3,500 people. Since 1991, Rebuilding Together Metro Chicago has repaired more than 1,300 homes and 200 community facilities with the assistance of tens of thousands of volunteers. Collectively, Rebuilding Together affiliates have completed work on more than 100,000 homes and engaged 3.4 million volunteers to deliver $1.3 billion in market value since its founding in 1988.

For additional information about Rebuilding Together Metro Chicago please visit: www.rebuildingtogether-chi.com.

El Valor is a non-profit community-based organization founded in 1973 that strives for a community in which all members, including individuals with special needs, can live, learn and work. El Valor’s mission is to support and challenge urban families to achieve excellence and participate fully in community life. Their programs exist to enrich and empower people with disabilities, the disenfranchised and the underserved. For additional information about El Valor please visit: https://elvalor.org/.