200 High Tech Volunteers Join Final Phase Construction of San Francisco’s “Greenest Building”
Employees Trade Keyboards for Shovels to Help Bayview Hunters Point Youth
San Francisco, CA -- At 9 a.m. on Tuesday, November 17, more than 200 Salesforce and Motorola employees will descend on Bayview Hunters Point to paint, tile, side, landscape, and install cabinetry at the EcoCenter -- the city’s first completely off-grid building and a major new environmental education facility. The day is being organized by Rebuilding Together San Francisco(RTSF), and hosted by Literacy for Environmental Justice (LEJ), the EcoCenter’s parent organization.
A decade in the planning and now in the final phases of construction, the EcoCenter at Bayview Hunters Point will be the first environmental education facility in southeast San Francisco, a green landmark in Bayview Hunters Point. Virtually every feature of the 1,500-square-foot facility will be innovative and used to educate the public about green technology, including onsite wastewater treatment, “living roof,” solar panels to meet all electricity demands of the building, native landscaping to promote water conservation, structurally insulated panels, low VOC paints, and Forest Stewardship Council-certified lumber.
“This workday is bringing us a thousand hours closer to opening the EcoCenter’s doors,” said Malik Looper, executive director of Literacy for Environmental Justice (LEJ). “The EcoCenter is a source of great pride in our community, and we welcome the contribution of Rebuilding Together and all those who want to build a more sustainable future for our youth.” The center sits at the foot of the now closed PG&E Hunters Point Power Plant. “LEJ’s EcoCenter will help build a new resource for Bayview Hunters Point youth as well as providing critical environmental education resources for the whole Bay Area,” added LEJ Board President Deanna Rossi.
This workday is the largest that RTSF has hosted in its 20-year history. “This is the perfect project, and Dreamforce is the perfect partner,” said Karen Nemsick, RTSF’s executive director. Press are invited to visit the center located at Heron’s Head Park November 17 to see the volunteer project in action and to speak with Malik Looper (LEJ), Karen Nemsick (RTSF), and Sean Rosas (Salesforce Foundation) about this unique partnership. Heron’s Head Park is at the Port of San Francisco’ Pier 98, located at the intersection of Cargo Way and Jennings St.
About Literacy for Environmental Justice
Founded in 1998 by a coalition of youth, educators, and community advocates, Literacy for Environmental Justice is an environmental education and youth empowerment organization created specifically to address the ecological and health concerns of Bayview Hunters Point and the surrounding communities of southeast San Francisco. LEJ provides paid internships to Bayview Hunters Point youth in environmental health, natural ecology, and community planning, and offers free hands-on environmental educational programs to schools, colleges and youth programs.
About Rebuilding Together San Francisco
Over the last 20 years, RTSF has renovated more than 1,250 homes and 250 community and nonprofit facilities in San Francisco with the help of over 45,000 volunteers, affecting tens of thousands of residents, including all those who volunteered their time to help their neighbors. Additionally, the Home Safety and Independence program has provided home safety modifications for over 1,000 low-income senior homeowners, enabling them to age safely in place. Rebuilding Together San Francisco is a local affiliate of Rebuilding Together, a national organization that mobilizes thousands of volunteers each year and includes 205 affiliates serving more than 500 communities nationwide.