Each year, AEC Cares brings together architecture, engineering, and construction professionals for a day of service centered on community renovation projects. The results not only transform buildings, they also change lives.
This year, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization brought together around 150 volunteers for a one-day “blitz build” benefiting Rachel’s Women’s Center in San Diego. Operated by Catholic Charities Diocese of San Diego (CCDSD), the center serves as a refuge for women experiencing homelessness in the San Diego community.
Rachel’s Women’s Center offers a supportive, trauma-informed environment for women experiencing homelessness. In addition to providing a safe space, the center offers wraparound services that connect women with health services, housing support, and other resources as they navigate a path toward stability and self-sufficiency. The center also recognizes the healing role of animal companionship by allowing women to bring emotional support pets into the shelter.
Housed in a 100-year-old building, the resource center has been operated by CCDSD for more than 40 years. Through grants and private donations, Rachel’s Women’s Center has sustained its mission for decades despite limited funding and growing community needs.
This much-needed renovation was designed to reflect the dignity, compassion, and welcoming environment Rachel’s Women’s Center provides each day in its 4,500-square-foot facility. Updates focused on improving space utilization through a more efficient floor plan, refreshing the interior with new décor and furniture, and creating a more welcoming environment where clients can refresh, regroup, and receive support.
ConstructConnect is the founding member and presenting sponsor of AEC Cares. This year’s #ProjectSanDiego — made possible through financial and in-kind support from numerous industry partners and pro bono collaboration from Stantec and Whiting-Turner — is the latest chapter in more than a decade of community service.
AEC Cares began in New Orleans in 2011 with its first project repairing homes damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Since then, the organization has brought the construction industry together for days of service in cities including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Orlando, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.
Although the transformation happens in a single day, each project is made possible by more than a year of planning by the AEC Cares Steering Committee. This small group of volunteers from the ConstructConnect team helps scout the site for each year’s project, work with pro bono designers to define the renovation scope, and secure the sponsors and volunteers needed to bring each effort to life.
What brings team members back to volunteer each year? Some of our Steering Committee members shared their thoughts:
“It’s one thing to plan these events. It’s another to roll up your sleeves, be part of the renovation, and see the impact firsthand. I’ll never forget two eight-year-old boys who jumped on our volunteer bus in 2016 after we transformed their youth center. They walked down the aisle, hugged every single volunteer, and thanked us for changing their space. In that moment, I was hooked.”
Derek Guffey, AEC Cares Board Member and ConstructConnect Vice President, Sales
“I began volunteering for AEC Cares since our first project in New Orleans in 2011. I have the honor of serving on our Board and was again Project Manager this year. Over the decades I have been blessed and for me the best part of AEC Cares is to be able to pay it forward to make life a little better for those who are less fortunate and struggling to live and build a life. If my service can help even one person, then the time and effort is well worth the investment.”
John Royster, AEC Cares Board Member and ConstructConnect Vice President, Customer Support & Operations
“What I love about AEC Cares is seeing so many people come together around a shared purpose and turn cross-company coordination into real impact. Supporting the planning behind the San Diego project has shown me how every detail helps make it possible for this group to come together and complete a remodel in one day for Rachel’s Women’s Shelter. It’s a powerful reminder of what we can accomplish when we align our efforts to do good.”
Blaise Bornhorst, ConstructConnect Sr. Manager, Engagement
For coverage of this year’s blitz build, check out AEC Cares on LinkedIn. Visit AEC Cares if you’re interested in volunteering, donating, or sponsoring the 2027 AEC Cares Day of Service in Philadelphia.
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