Competing for the Change We Want to See in the World

Burns & McDonnell and Spaces Inc. have teamed up once again for 2010-2011 to create change in Kansas City communities through Project Change. For more information or to get involved for the upcoming year please contact employee owner Will Kirby at wkirby@burnsmcd.com.

Launched in January 2009, the citywide challenge asks teams from local architectural and design firms, or other creative industries, to create lasting change through innovative community service projects. Over four months — February to May — teams fashion humanitarian and environmental solutions to meet thematic challenges, and team up for one group effort.

Our Projects

Read our stories, see our projects and look for opportunities to volunteer on our team blog.

2011

• Create Change Without $Change$, benefiting the Down Syndrome Guild of Greater Kansas City
  We are teaming up with the Down Syndrome Guild of Greater Kansas City (DSG) to help broaden awareness and support for people with Down syndrome. In addition to supporting DSG initiatives, we look forward to creating personal connections with DSG youth through fun social activities!
• See-A-Need → Fill-A-Need, benefiting Children's TLC
  This two-part project will benefit Children's TLC (Therapeutic Learning Center). TLC is Kansas City's premier provider of early therapeutic and educational services for young children with disabilities. We have chosen to help them fill two needs: design and paint a mural to warm-up the bus room and hallway and plan an event to raise money so TLC can purchase specialized equipment critical to its services
• Grow Change → Create Hope, benefiting the Community of the Good Shepherd
  The Community of the Good Shepherd is a residential and adult day program for individuals with developmental disabilities. Currently one of its goals is to help residents actively participate in creating a healthy diet for themselves. We will help dig flower and vegetable gardens on their properties.

2010

• People, benefiting Hope House
  Hope House is a safe haven for victims of domestic violence in Kansas City, but the actual facilities were in need of some help this year. Our team put in two full workdays to move all furniture, rip up carpet, paint the walls and lay ceramic tile. All eight rooms were available to be occupied again almost immediately.
• Places, benefiting Reach Out and Read
  Over three weeks in March, the team worked with four local pediatric clinics to improve Reach Out and Read's (ROR) literary promotion and youth development. Clinic reading areas were upgraded with new bookcases, additional tables and chairs, ROR banners, and general changes to make the areas more child friendly.
• Things, benefiting Operation Breakthrough
  Building off our success and relationship with Operation Breakthrough in 2009, we continued work on the outdoor classroom and urban nature park, including additions to the site and upkeep on previous projects.

2009

• Warm the Homeless, benefiting Hope Faith Ministries
  We distributed 80 handmade blankets, lovingly sewn by area school children and church groups, to area homeless. Each blanket folded compactly into a pillow that bore a list of area homeless services and bus routes.
• Feed the Hungry, benefiting City Union Mission
  We provided breakfast — homemade burritos, doughnuts, bagels and orange juice — for 100 women, men and children living at City Union Mission's family center.
• Save the Planet, benefiting Operation Breakthrough
  We created a sustainable rain garden to complement the existing urban nature park for the children at Operation Breakthrough.