JDW Celebrates 30 Years
with Community Service Projects
As part of our 30th anniversary, JD White, a division of BERGER/ABAM Engineers Inc., is working to give back to the community we live and work in. We plan to celebrate our 30th year by participating in 30 projects that benefit our community. So far, some of these community service projects have included:
- Vancouver Firefighters Coat Drive
- Affordable Community Environments (ACE) Family Christmas Sponsorship
- Community Cycling Center Holiday Bike Drive
- Beaches Billboard
- Capt. William Clark Park at Cottonwood Beach Clean Up
- Adopt an Island in Downtown Vancouver
- Sunset Elementary First Grade Classes
- Take 4 to the 4th at the Historic Reserve
- Oregon Public Broadcasting's Membership Drive
- The Backpack Program
- Vancouver-Clark Parks & Recreation Scholarship Program
- Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center/ APWA Native Tree Planting
- Firstenburg Community Center Grand Opening
Vancouver Firefighters Coat Drive
Imagine escaping with your life from a house fire; you stand shivering on the street in the cold night air without a coat to keep you warm. For the last several years, firefighters from Vancouver 's Station 86 have responded to that need by collecting donated coats. In 2004, the effort's first year, firefighters collected 700 coats, and this year they expect to top 1,000. Station 86 is located on Main Street in Vancouver , but the coats are distributed throughout the area with extra coats going to local shelters.
Find out more about the Firefighters Coat Drive
back to top >> Affordable Community Environments (ACE)
Family Christmas Sponsorship
As many companies do during the holiday season, JDW staff sponsored a family in 2006. Staff members worked with ACE and the parents to provide new outfits, board and video games, accessories, food, and rental assistance. Established in 1998, ACE provides accessible, affordable housing with available support services in an innovative living environment for residents of SW Washington.
Help ACE support those in need
back to top >> Community Cycling Center Holiday Bike Drive
For the last decade, the Community Cycling Center has offered several bike programs for children and adults in the Portland area. Their Holiday Bike Drive gives a bike, helmet, and bike safety lessons to more than 500 children, but the drive needs several hundred volunteers to work the event. Some JDW staff members spent a Sunday morning at Hudsons Bay High School helping out.
Donate bikes to the Community Cycling Center
back to top >> Beaches Billboard
JDW marked its “official” birthday by purchasing a day on Beaches' Highway 14 billboard.
When a day is purchased, all the money goes to local kids' charities through the Beaches Charity Fund. Last year, the fund raised $100,000, which went to transportation for students from school to the Boys and Girls Club for the entire year and to help with mortgages for single moms, purchase new equipment for the student drumline club , and support grants to teachers.
Rent the Beaches sign for your message.
back to top >> Capt. William Clark Park at Cottonwood Beach Clean Up
To ready the park for the crowds over Labor Day weekend, about 10 JDW staff members scoured the parking lot, the grounds, and the beach picking up trash, shoes, cigarette butts, water bottles, and whatever else.
Visit Captain William Clark Park at Cottonwood Beach.
back to top >> Adopt an Island in Downtown Vancouver
Downtown Vancouver is looking good these days and the traffic islands that line several streets are part of it. JDW staffers adopted an island through the City of Vancouver , and on a sunny summer morning, pulled weeds, took out overgrown shrubs, and created a freshly planted landscape for the enjoyment of downtown shoppers and workers.
City of Vancouver web site.
back to top >> Sunset Elementary First Grade Classes
When JDW wanted to help a school, we consulted with the Evergreen School District , the fourth-largest district in Washington . We wanted to provide grant money to teachers for things that they usually spend their own money on. Sunset Elementary in the northern part of the district was the perfect choice; the school has five first-grade classes with 125 students. We were so pleased to be able to help out that our employees added extra funds to JDW's grant.
Learn more about Sunset Elementary School
back to top >> Take 4 to the 4th at the Historic Reserve
In the hours that lead up to Vancouver's biggest claim to fame, tens of thousands of area residents and visitors from far away post themselves on the lawns at Fort Vancouver and Officers Row to picnic, listen to the music, and wait for the spectacular fireworks. The Vancouver National Historic Reserve Trust, which hosts the day's events, asks for donations beforehand and at the gate to pay for the sparklers, the entertainment, and the day's other expenses. This year, JD White donated $500 to help out.
Celebrate the 4th of July in Vancouver, USA.
back to top >> Oregon Public Broadcasting's Membership Drive
In early June, about a dozen JDW staff members, dressed in bright red JDW T-shirts and using their finely tuned customer service voices, spent an evening at the Oregon Public Broadcasting studios answering phone calls from donors who wanted to support OPB. The week-long membership drive raised $390,591, and the JDW group brought in almost $11,000.
Support Oregon Public Broadcasting.
back to top >> The Backpack Program
During May, JDW collected food to help support the Backpack Program, which distributes food to students who participate in the free and reduced breakfast/lunch program at school. Approximately 115 backpacks full of child-friendly, non-perishable, easily prepared food are distributed each Friday to students who otherwise might not have sufficient food for the weekend. Five schools currently participate, with 11 more on the waiting list. To keep the Backpack Program going into the summer, JDW, LSW Architects, MGH & Associates, PBS Environmental, and Harper Houf Peterson and Righellis, and their staffs collected food and cash donations. Westlie Ford of Camas loaned two Ford F250 Super Duty trucks and JDW filled the truck beds with 20 boxes of food and delivered it to the very grateful Share House employees. Share administers the program in conjunction with the Vancouver School District .
Donate to Share Vancouver
back to top >> Vancouver-Clark Parks & Recreation Scholarship Program
Vancouver-Clark Parks & Recreation has had a recreation scholarship program since 1993 to help low-income people participate in activities. Each family member is awarded $30, the average charge for an activity. JDW‘s $900 donation will give 30 people the opportunity to participate in 30 activities.
Find the fun at Vancouver-Clark Parks & Recreation Programs
back to top >> Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center/
APWA Native Tree Planting
At the end of March, the American Public Works Association (APWA) held a joint Oregon/Washington Conference in Vancouver , and conference activities included a chance to volunteer at the Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center.
About a dozen JDW employees spent a damp afternoon planting native species and introducing conference attendees to true Northwest spring weather. In the last school year, more than 7,000 Clark County students visited the Center for environmental education field trips and service learning activities.
Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center
back to top >> Firstenburg Community Center Grand Opening
The Firstenburg Community Center gives the east side of town a new “green” focus. The whole community was invited to the center's February grand opening, and it seemed most of Clark County showed up that Sunday afternoon to take a tour or a swim and check things out. JDW staff members helped meet and greet guests, run games and programs, and hand out information.
Find out what's going on at the Firstenburg Community Center
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