Describe your contribution to the community and what outcome the organization has within the community.
When was your not for profit founded, what is your mission statement?
To date HeroWork has completed $3.5 million worth of nonprofit renovations in the Victoria region. A typical year will see HeroWork engage well over 100 companies, more than 50 coordinators, and in excess of 500 volunteers, who all provide either goods and/or labour in kind.
HeroWork was born in 2010 when Paul Latour had the idea of bringing 20 friends together for a pizza party to help another friend with Multiple Sclerosis. Seven weeks later 27 companies had jumped on board along with 65 volunteers and 10 rotating musical acts, in support of the case. Together they completed a $25,000 single day renovation with a budget of $380. This experience changed his life and sent him down a path that resulted in the charity that is now called HeroWork.
Our renovations have been systematically renewing charity buildings throughout Victoria. We’ve rebuilt infrastructure for the Mustard Seed, Threshold Housing, Rainbow Kitchen, Power To Be, Anawim House, the Food Security Distribution Center, Citizens’ Counselling Centre, and more. Not only do these builds profoundly affect partner charities, but they also renew neighbourhoods while increasing a sense of community and connection..
HeroWork’s mission is to renew and expand nonprofit community infrastructure, so charities can make bigger impact, become more sustainable, better serve vulnerable populations, and lift up neighborhoods where these important services are provided.
What is the best way to get involved and where can I get more information about your organization?
Briefly describe your program or organization?
For more information, to volunteer, sponsor, or donate go to www.herowork.com. You can also follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/heroworkprogram.
Many charity buildings are run down and in need of repairs or upgrades. Some still need to be built. HeroWork is changing this. Here’s how: 1. We partner with other worthy charities who want bigger impact but need better buildings. 2. We connect with many businesses, funders, organizations, and individuals, who help us with a wide array of construction services, project supplies, hospitality, resources, and more. 3. We orchestrate huge community events in which we complete comprehensive renovations in a fraction of normal time and costs. We describe them as modern-day barn raisings, and we call them “Radical Renovations.”
What are your organization’s long and short term needs? In every city charity buildings are in poor condition, diminishing their effectiveness and ability to serve. To impact this unmet need HeroWork is creating a charitable social franchise system that we will use to replicate our program across Canada. In 2019 we will be creating HeroWork Canada, a new arm of our organization that will spearhead scaling efforts. Our first community outside Victoria will be Vancouver in 2020. In Victoria we already have the next 18 months of projects scheduled. The spring 2019 project will be for Our Place’s Therapeutic Recovery Community. The fall 2019 project will be for PEERS Victoria Resources Society, while a single mom’s transition centre is tentatively slotted for the spring of 2020. With over $1 million worth of renovations on the docket for 2019, we are working to raise approximately $150,000. One hundred percent of all funds will go directly to project supplies.
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