Ten LPA team members from the Irvine and San Diego offices rolled up their sleeves for Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build, helping construct homes and townhomes alongside future residents. The two events, May 8 and 15 in National City and Encinitas, were part of the nonprofit’s annual event that brings together volunteers from all walks of life to build stronger, safer communities.
LPA Participates in Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build
“Anyone who has been to the San Diego area understands the immediate need for more affordable housing, particularly given the large number of residents who are on the verge of or experiencing homelessness,” said Ellie O’Connor, architect at LPA Design Studios. “Responding to this urgent need in our own backyard and giving back to the community using our professional expertise is extremely rewarding.”
LPA’s team helped with a variety of tasks, including drywall installation, jackhammering, stair framing, weed whacking, caulking, painting and cleaning.
“This volunteer group was a true representation of our integrated team, bringing the expertise of LPA’s landscape architects, structural engineers, architects and operations team,” added O’Connor. “Hands-on participation is not only a response to the community need but is another way for our team to connect the lines on our drawings to physical construction in a way that betters our community.”
The volunteer opportunity, which included a financial contribution to Habitat for Humanity, was made possible by a grant from the LPA Foundation, which was founded in 2015 to support the firm’s charitable giving and volunteer efforts, and advance integrated design through research, education and sustainability.
Habitat for Humanity is a global nonprofit housing organization working in local communities across all 50 states in the U.S. and in approximately 70 countries. Started in 1991, the organization’s International Women Build Week is an annual event created by Habitat’s Women Build program.
