Many women in construction will often reference that their interest in the industry started at a young age. They might share a story about how a particular family member worked in construction, or a STEM class inspired them, or their…
Truebeck’s preconstruction services can help assist with building a diverse workforce on the jobsite. Truebeck achieved over 45 percent participation from diverse trade partners and vendors on The Annex, a 17,500sf affordable housing development that will service the needs of…
Truebeck Construction, an industry-leading commercial general contractor, is pleased to announce its expansion into the Greater Sacramento Metro Area with the opening of their 5th office. This new regional office supports the growing number of projects in Sacramento and allows…
“It’s exciting to be live, to see so many faces out there and so many mustaches,” Todd Ahern said as he kicked off Truebeck’s 8th annual Movember event. “They look great,” Nick Pera added as he and Todd looked out…
When Truebeck’s Team for Tomorrow began looking for opportunities to serve in the Portland area, one charity stood out: Friends of the Children. Friends of the Children is a local non-profit focused on breaking the cycle of generational poverty. They…
The construction industry is more than just a place to build a project, it’s also a place to build a successful career. Constructing Hope is an organization dedicated to teaching construction skills to serve underrepresented or under privileged communities. This…
As we move deeper into the digital age, we’re finding new ways to enhance safety practices. We’ve already seen other industries use automated dashboards to track metrics like sales, but what about the health and wellness of teams? Challenge of…
How do handcrafted soaps help improve the unemployment rate? Recognizing that unemployment harms physical and mental health, Roots Community Health Center launched a workforce initiative to empower the local community in Oakland. Roots created a pathway to jobs for formerly…
Truebeck’s preconstruction services can help assist with building a diverse workforce on the jobsite. Truebeck achieved over 45 percent participation from diverse trade partners and vendors on The Annex, a 17,500sf affordable housing development that will service the needs of...
READ MOREMichael Vachon, CTI Manager, steps out of the jobsite trailer with a small mechanical device tucked under his arm. Before him lies a massive corporate office under construction. The building is nearly complete, there only remains a few small tasks...
READ MOREIt is certainly no secret that the construction industry is one of the most male-dominated career fields, with women making up roughly 9% of the construction workforce. In recent years, however, the industry has seen an uprising in women who...
READ MORESince its inception in the late 1800s, steel has been a staple of large-scale construction projects. Its advantages made it the dominant material used, but after one hundred years, steel is losing its monopoly on commercial construction. Making a comeback...
READ MORE“Uber HQ, your drone is arriving now. And it’s being flown by Truebeck Construction, an innovative, fast-growing general contractor based in the San Francisco Bay Area.” Recently, 3D Robotics visited our Uber HQ project site in Mission Bay, San Francisco,...
READ MORETruebeck’s innovative use of data was featured in a Bisnow article. Data warehousing is a technique to collect, analyze, and gather insights into the workplace. See how Truebeck is utilizing data to drive efficiency on the jobsite by checking out...
READ MORETechnology plays a major role in industry advancements. Our in-house VDC team is paving the way and changing the game! In May 2018, Bisnow Media featured an article on Truebeck Construction’s industry-leading Virtual Design & Construction practices. For Truebeck Construction,...
READ MOREWell-made items are valued and treasured for how they are precisely crafted, built with care and passion, and presented with pride. Craftsmanship is the desire for the best and the quality that comes from attention to detail. Truebeck Construction prides...
READ MORETeam partnership, collaborative methods and tools, and client advocacy drive value in modern building. As the construction industry continues to evolve, contractors are finding they need to be more integrated and collaborative with the entire project team – architects, owners,...
READ MORETruebeck Construction has discovered that utilizing laser scanning...
READ MORETruebeck Construction’s preconstruction services are complemented by specialized in-house resources in both MEP...
READ MOREThe grey clouds rolled overhead as five men stepped out of their vehicles. Before them was a small home with cobblestone steps leading up to the front door. They stepped up the stairs, a feat quite simple for construction professionals...
READ MOREMany women in construction will often reference that their interest in the industry started at a young age. They might share a story about how a particular family member worked in construction, or a STEM class inspired them, or their curiosity was piqued when playing with Legos. Opportunities to expose girls to engineering and construction are crucial to encourage the next generation of women to join the industry. To help create moments like this, Truebeck’s team partnered with Girls Build, a non-profit in Portland dedicated to empowering young girls to enter the world of building. Girls Build™ offers programming for girls teaching the basics of carpentry, electrical, plumbing, roofing, painting, auto and bike mechanics, sheet metal, and more via summer camps (8-15 year olds) and after-school workshops. Truebeck’s team held an event at one of our projects where around a dozen girls worked hand-in-hand with our team to construct a portion of the project. Not only did the girls get to use tools and build a part of the project, but they also got to meet Christine Zinkgraf who is a Project Executive at Truebeck. “This project team is passionate about involving the community and Girls Build was a perfect organization to partner with,” shared Zinkgraf. “It was incredibly fulfilling to provide local girls with hands-on construction experience while also introducing them to our strong female leadership team and a potential future career in construction.” Truebeck thanks Girls Build for all the work they do to teach and empower girls for a future in building.
READ MORE“It’s exciting to be live, to see so many faces out there and so many mustaches,” Todd Ahern said as he kicked off Truebeck's 8th annual Movember event. “They look great,” Nick Pera added as he and Todd looked out at those in attendance. In the crowd, nearly all the men had mustaches trimmed and cut into different styles. Each year, Truebeck Construction participates in Movember. A play on the name November, it’s a month where men grow mustaches to raise awareness around men’s health and fundraise to support research and services on that front. Specifically, the Movember Foundation focuses on testicular and prostate cancer, mental health, and suicide prevention. The non-profit got its start when a group of men in Australia attempted to bring back the mustache as a fashion statement. Now, Movember is one of the largest international organizations supporting men’s health. But growing mustaches and raising money is only a scratch on the surface for what Truebeck does over the course of the month. From the first of the month to the last, the team engages in contests, giveaways, and a teamwide event to celebrate. The theme for 2021 was “Raise the Barbershop,” a play on the company’s motto, “Raise the Bar.” In previous years, Truebeck did themes like the Moscars and mustaches in sports. At this year’s celebration event, the team hauled barber shop chairs into the main office and even brought in a local stylist to give shaves during the live event. “It started initially as a way for us to honor all the fathers, sons, husbands, uncles, brothers, and nephews, all the men in our life that unfortunately somewhere along the way may be impacted by anything from prostate cancer and testicular cancer to unhealthy lifestyles and poor mental health,” said Ahern. This year, Truebeck’s team raised $38,980! This put Truebeck Construction as the tenth highest team nationally for fundraising as well as the highest donor from the construction industry. “It’s another great year, we’ve blown out our target. There is no stopping Truebeck,” said Ahern. But among the Truebeck team there was a special group that were the largest contributors to this year’s success. A team comprised of six women called “The Hair Naked Ladies of Truebeck.” On this team were Brynda Olson, Betsy Bice, Jessica Mills, Kelley Wathen, Christine Zinkgraf, and Kalie Ward. These women raised over 50 percent of the total amount with $20,040. They were also ranked sixteenth on Movmeber’s Individual Leaderboard and broke Truebeck’s internal record for most money raised within the team. “It was fun to come together with this group of women to join the cause and raise awareness and money for Movember,” said Bice. As to how the team formed, Ward shared, “Brynda came up with the idea and we all jumped on board at the chance to band together. I think that the team aspect really led to our fundraising success as many of those who donated wanted to contribute to multiple members of the team or just liked the idea of the Hair Naked Ladies. Our goal is to try to motivate other potential teams to do the same.” While interviewing two representatives of the Hair Naked Ladies—Olson and Wathen—Pera asked, “How did you get all those funds? Because that’s absolutely amazing, no one at Truebeck has done what you have done.” “Our tips on how to raise the most money for this are if you drop the word ‘naked’ in an email, you get a lot more attention,” Wathen said as the crowd laughed. As for why Wathen chose to personally participate, she said, “Men’s health affects all of us, and we wanted to do our part to contribute!” “This was for a great cause to raise funds and bring awareness to something that affects us all,” said Olson. “Participating in a mustache competition was not on my radar... for obvious reasons,” said Zinkgraf. “But when this team came together we felt confident the blue ribbon could be ours. The real winners are the men in our lives, and I am thrilled that our donations will help bring awareness to men's mental health which has been stigmatized for too long.” As an industry with a strong male workforce, there is a vested interest for the construction industry and general contractors like Truebeck Construction to support causes like Movember. “Team Truebeck continues to be a leader for the betterment of men’s health and it amazes me every year to see the team’s enthusiasm for this event,” said Ahern. “Even more incredible is how team members yearly outreach continues to Raise the Bar in support of the Movember Foundation. The Hair Naked Ladies threw down a massive gauntlet this year and I for one can’t wait to see who will rise to the challenge in 2022.” https://vimeo.com/649230101/c6b3e33e92
READ MOREWhen Truebeck’s Team for Tomorrow began looking for opportunities to serve in the Portland area, one charity stood out: Friends of the Children. Friends of the Children is a local non-profit focused on breaking the cycle of generational poverty. They do this by pairing a child with a mentor who will be with them for 12 years, from Kindergarten through High School. The results are tremendous with 92 percent of youth going on to enroll in post-secondary education, serving in the armed forces, or joining the workforce. 95 percent of youth remain free from juvenile justice system involvement and 83 percent earn a High School diploma or GED. Truebeck has six philanthropic core initiatives: workforce training, health, education, youth, the environment, and the military. Partnering with Friends of the Children is a natural alignment of missions, as the focus is on the youth and their healthy development. Truebeck hosted a fundraiser garnering over $5,000 for the non-profit. We also hosted a holiday gift drive and the children were able to “shop” in an auditorium for toys and gifts. Most recently, Truebeck’s team co-sponsored and participated in a walk for Friends of the Children. The program, called Steps for Change, was the first of its kind. The goal was to raise $5,000 and our team helped with the final $7,275 that was raised. Friends of the Children has already done incredible work for the Portland community, and Truebeck could not be more pleased to work alongside them and support their cause. We look forward to even more opportunities to assist in the future!
READ MOREThe construction industry is more than just a place to build a project, it’s also a place to build a successful career. Constructing Hope is an organization dedicated to teaching construction skills to serve underrepresented or under privileged communities. This includes people of color, formerly incarcerated people, and low-income adults. The goal of Constructing Hope is to help these individuals attain sustainable careers, increase workforce diversity, and reduce recidivism. They also want to help the construction industry with their hiring needs. Truebeck Construction has six philanthropic core initiatives: workforce training, health, education, youth, the environment, and the military. As a general contractor, Truebeck strongly believes in the value of diversity on job sites. Truebeck had the privilege of bringing students of Constructing Hope’s program to a project in the Southeast District of Portland. A couple of the project’s superintendents gave a presentation of the project and then gave a tour of the job site. While learning in a classroom is a good start, nothing beats experiencing an actual job site and seeing the daily interactions and events that occur. Truebeck’s superintendents answered questions from the students and gave them insight into the possible career paths available in construction. “The students really seemed to appreciate the walk through and had some great questions,” shared one of Truebeck’s Superintendents. “The Constructing Hope instructors were also very appreciative and expressed gratitude at the opportunity to walk through the job.” Many of these students going through the Constructing Hope program will bring diverse talent and skills to the construction industry. Truebeck looks forward to a continued partnership with Constructing Hope.
READ MOREHow do handcrafted soaps help improve the unemployment rate? Recognizing that unemployment harms physical and mental health, Roots Community Health Center launched a workforce initiative to empower the local community in Oakland. Roots created a pathway to jobs for formerly incarcerated Californians by producing small batch artisan soap. As a part of their 2020 Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging charter to support social causes that directly aid underrepresented groups, Truebeck’s Team for Tomorrow sought out partnerships with local businesses and charities that shared that mission. Truebeck and the Roots Clinic share a social responsibility focus on health. Roots is an Oakland-based non-profit health center that provides medical and behavioral health care, health navigation, workforce enterprises, housing, outreach, and advocacy. Roots’ Emancipators Initiative combines on-the-job training with whole-person support. Their 12-week program addresses: Basic Education and Job Readiness Navigation and Linkage to Services Mentoring and Coaching Job Training, Experience and Counseling Their Clean360 shop teaches those in the program a trade and helps them get the start they need to succeed after prison. 96 percent of program graduates demonstrate long-term self-sufficiency 96 percent of program graduates are in stable jobs 97 percent of program graduates have not returned to prison since participating in the program Interesting fact: soap was almost toilet paper. While soap seems random, the Clinic researched heavily before making the decision. Roots wanted to manufacture a simple object that everybody needs – so it was either soap or toilet paper. Soap won because it was more inspiring, healthy, natural, and makes people feel good. “Everyone needs soap, and the organization has such a great cause providing opportunities to keep people from going down wrong paths. From the moment it was brought to Team for Tomorrow, I was excited to support it,” said a Truebeck Team for Tomorrow Committee member. After connecting with Clean360 to learn how Truebeck could support them, the firm purchased 2,000 bars of soap. These bars were then gifted to team members, business partners, family and friends. The remaining soap is being donated to local shelters. Truebeck believes that social change starts in your own neighborhood. Local organizations like the Roots Clinic and Clean360 are where real change can happen, and Truebeck is honored to be part of such a great cause. You can purchase the soap online here.
READ MOREIn 2020, Truebeck’s Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Task Force implemented a charter with many objectives, one being to support local diverse businesses. As a general contractor, the first way to do that is on the job site working with our trade partners. But at Truebeck where “raise the bar” is the company motto, the obvious answers aren’t always the best answers. Beyond the job site, Truebeck works with many vendors, outsourcing partners, and other businesses, and the firm realized they could have a much greater impact in helping their partners. One such vendor are wine suppliers. The Truebeck leadership team annually gifts wine to clients and industry friends during the holiday season, and it’s become a long-standing tradition within the company. This year, Pete Caputo, Vice President of Operations, proposed sourcing our wine from local minority-owned wineries. Joining Caputo was the company’s wine-connoisseur, Mike Anderson, Senior Vice President of Operations, who set out to find the best selection available. After researching over a dozen minority-owned wineries, and holding tastings with the leadership team for each, Truebeck settled on two wineries near the San Francisco Bay Area and one in the Portland region. The chosen vendors were Ceja Vineyards, Indigene Cellars, and Abbey Creek Vineyard. In an industry of legacy and privilege, these wineries had neither. Ceja Vineyards is a Mexican-American family owned winery located in the heart of wine country, Napa Valley, California. The founders began their journey as immigrant vineyard workers. Indigene Cellars is an award-winning, Black-owned winery in Paso Robles, California. The founder began as a Ship Joiner and Grocery Clerk. Abbey Creek Vineyard is the first recorded Black-owned winery in the state of Oregon. The founder was born from Haitian-immigrant parents, and found his way from Brooklyn, NY, to become a self-taught winemaker. It wasn’t just their history and high-quality wine that convinced the Truebeck leadership team to select these wineries. What resonated with Truebeck was how each of these wineries were active members of their community and industry, by providing resources and support to worthy causes. As a general contractor heavily invested in the well-being of our neighbors, Truebeck valued the social responsibility and philanthropy of these wineries. Ceja Vineyards commits to promoting the value and fair treatment of farmworkers in agriculture and the food industry. Indigene’s founder creates wine devoted exclusively to his community-focused efforts, with one blend even named “Philanthropist” – for which a percentage of every bottle goes to First Responders in his city. The Abby Creek founder now helps other winemakers tell their similar stories of facing challenges in the industry, specifically the diversity challenge. Truebeck, like these wineries, believes we can all work together to make this world a better place.
READ MOREThe grey clouds rolled overhead as five men stepped out of their vehicles. Before them was a small home with cobblestone steps leading up to the front door. They stepped up the stairs, a feat quite simple for construction professionals who climb flights of stairs daily to work on large-scale projects. A feat not so easy for a nearly 90-year-old Navy veteran. In moments, this team of construction professionals got to work constructing a ramp that would provide a safe transition from the door to the driveway. As if they were on a job site, the team quickly defined roles and coordinated an efficient process. After constructing projects that are over 10,000sf, they finished the small ramp before noon. They even had time to crawl under the house to check if there were any moisture or piping issues. Truebeck’s team partnered with Rebuilding Together, a non-profit organization that assists low-income homeowners with needed home repairs at no cost. The goal: to find families in the local community that could use the expertise of a few construction professionals. “Initially, we were planning on doing a bunch of work inside the house, but then COVID hit,” shared Blake LaRue, Project Manager. “We stayed in contact with Rebuilding Together to see if there was anything we could do.” Given the circumstances, Truebeck’s team couldn’t go inside because of the homeowners being high-risk. Despite that setback, the team was determined to find a way to help. “This particular family, the gentleman is a Navy veteran, and the gal is getting older and both were starting to have mobility issues,” continued LaRue. “Even though we couldn’t go inside, there was plenty of work we could do outside of the house. That’s when we got the idea to put up handrails on all their stairs and build a ramp.” With materials donated from both Truebeck and Rebuilding Together, two ramps with handrails were installed to allow ease of access for the homeowners. Speaking of the work Truebeck’s team performed, the homeowner, CJ Hooker, shared, “I found the crew incredibly professional and helpful. They installed a ramp and safety features around our home promptly, and with much knowledge. They were also a fun group of people to interact with and respectful of my wishes.” Truebeck’s team is honored to serve a veteran and help uplift the community. “It always feels good to give back and help out, especially when you hear it’s a veteran and with how times are now,” shared David Holmstrom, Superintendent. “It was a good opportunity to do it. When it’s the work we’re doing its usually construction and carpentry. I have a good skill set in that kind of work and if I have that skill I might as well put it to use for that kind of opportunity.” Truebeck’s Team for Tomorrow is comprised of team members who want to give back to the community and make a positive social change. Even now, the Truebeck team in Portland is partnering with local organizations and looking for opportunities to serve the community. "For me it’s just about the commitment, and knowing once you do it, you’re going to feel really good about it." - Blake LaRue, Project Manager.
READ MOREThe construction industry is one of the best industries for new graduates to enter. With growing wages, high demand, and career growth opportunities more and more of Generation Z is taking an interest. Helping these aspiring students are some of Truebeck’s talented construction professionals, who visit Woodside High School (WHS) to provide mentoring to students in the Sustainability or Business Technology Academy programs. The ultimate goal of these programs is to help the rising generation grasp the construction industry and how they can ultimately build careers in the field. Students of WHS enter these programs as Sophmores and in their junior year they receive mentors. Additional perks include career mentoring, engineering project mentoring, guest speaking, and construction pathway mentoring. The next generation of construction professionals is rising to take the place of many retiring baby boomers. We’re hoping to see many of these high school students join our ranks in the years to come.
READ MORESince 1990, the Family Giving Tree has fulfilled gift wishes for over one million San Francisco Bay Area children, families and seniors from low-income households. They believe that no one should feel forgotten during the holidays. In 2018 alone, they fulfilled nearly 78,000 holiday wishes and provided more than 40,000 supply-filled backpacks to those most in need! In the spirit of the holidays, Truebeck Construction dispersed 150 gift request cards to our job sites. When it came time to pick up the gifts, our team filled every single request. Everyone deserves a special holiday and Truebeck hopes these gifts will warm the hearts of their recipients and let those children, families, and seniors know that someone is thinking of them this year.
READ MOREIn 2003, 30 men in Australia took a challenge to bring back moustaches as a fashion trend. What once started as a fun social experiment quickly developed into one of the largest foundations for supporting men’s health across the world, The Movember Foundation. Each year in the month of November, the Movember Foundation enlists millions of men into a moustache-growing army with the goal to raise funds for men’s health. For the past five years, Truebeck Construction has been a part of that growing movement, and Truebeck finds itself at the forefront of donations each year. But this year was different from all others. Out of the past five years, Truebeck raised its highest amount yet, $42,132. This placed Truebeck as the seventh highest donor to the Movember Foundation on a national level. How did this all come about? To begin, Truebeck Construction has a vested interest in the Movember cause. In 2017, a study conducted by the National Association of Women in Construction found that just over 98 percent of the construction industry was male. From our own team to the trade partners we work with, the men in our lives are a core part of who we are, and many of our fathers, brothers, sons, uncles, and grandfathers struggle with health problems that often go unchecked. Unique challenges men face like prostate cancer are notoriously underfunded. In 2012, men’s health was ranked 36th for federal government research funding and often men’s health only receives 24 percent the amount women’s health research receives. Further, mental health is deteriorating. There has been a 21 percent increase in suicide among boys and men from 2000 to 2016 according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. To combat these growing trends, Movember reaches out and asks individuals to come together as teams to contribute funds and raise awareness—all through growing a moustache. Truebeck assembled its team in partnership with 95.7 The Game, the best sports radio station in the Bay Area. In the past five years, Truebeck has raised an average of $22,500 each year for the cause with a total of over $112,000. This year, Truebeck nearly doubled that amount by raising $42,132. Swept up in this tide of fundraising was Caroll Moya—one of Truebeck’s Senior Estimators. “I’ll give it a try this year,” she said. “My goal was to get just one donation, just $20.” By the end of Movember, Moya raised over $6,000 in donations from friends, family, colleagues and business partners. Moya was the only female on Team Truebeck and as a result she became the women of Truebeck’s representative. A large part of the donations came from her construction sisters. “I was overwhelmed by the significant number of women who support men’s health. The men are pretty important to us,” Moya said. Truebeck hosts a Movember awards event every year where all participants gather, receive awards, and enjoy an evening in celebratory success. This year was different. There were the usual party decorations, food and drink, and goofy moustaches mixed with laughs and cheers, but the echoes of the night resonated back something more. It was a feeling of pride, the kind of pride you feel when you finish a long race or conquer a tall mountain. The event itself was themed after the Oscars and was aptly called the Moscars. A panel of judges assessed each moustache-touting attendee and selected winners for categories based off famous movie characters like White Goodman from Dodgeball and Inigo Montoya from Princess Bride. Todd Ahern, Truebeck’s Chief Estimator, serves as Master of Ceremonies (MC) and is joined by one of 95.7 The Game’s radio hosts. This year Lorenzo Neal, four-time Pro Bowl player and three-time All-Pro fullback in the National Football League (NFL), stood beside Ahern. “The show Todd puts on is always entertaining,” shared Kathy Reiner. “It’s clear he’s passionate about the cause and the event. It makes the night memorable.” The highlight of the evening came when a large check received the signature that sealed 2019 as Truebeck’s best year for Movember fundraising. But the spectacles of the night were not done yet. The three champions who raised the most were invited onto the stage where Lorenzo Neal waited, his arm stretched out across a table, daring the three to beat him in an arm-wrestling contest. “I’m pretty sure his arm was bigger than my head,” Caroll Moya laughed. One by one the contenders approached and with a crowd amped up, construction professionals pitted their strength against one of professional football’s strongest athletes. Biceps bulged, sweat glistened, and only the final contestant, Moya, could take down the goliath that is Lorenzo Neal. While the entertainment only lasted the night, the impact of so many sacrificing their time and resources to support men’s health will be felt far longer. Even though this year was a tremendous success the real victory has yet to be seen. Across the world, men continue to struggle with health problems and as long as Truebeck stands, there will always be an ally in the fight for men’s health. Todd Ahern, MC for the event and Chief Estimator with Truebeck said, “The enthusiasm of Team Truebeck, along with the generosity of our friends and colleagues continues to blow me away. Every year I think ‘How are we gonna do better than this’, and every year the team exceeds my expectations in their efforts to raise the bar for men’s health.” Truebeck Construction was the number one general contractor nationwide in supporting Movember.
READ MOREIt’s at this time every year that Truebeck’s Team for Tomorrow steps in to promote the spirit of giving. On November 13, 2019, volunteers gathered at a jobsite in San Carlos to build 50 bikes for the children of Kinship, Adoptive and Foster Parent Association (KAFPA) in Sant Clara County. KAFPA is an organization that provides resources for adoptive and foster families in the local area. They also provide youth and family programming, teach parenting and CPR classes, and advocate for the needs of these families. The bikes were in all colors from princess pink to speed-demon red. They were in all sizes; some were small with training wheels for new riders and some were larger bikes for high schoolers. Thank you to everyone at Truebeck who participated in this special annual event. The contributions of time and bikes will bring fond memories that keep the magic of the season alive.
READ MOREWhat do you get when you mix a top-tier contactor, a famous architect firm, and modern art together? You get something like Scene Local, an event that brings together teams of contractors and architects to create a small space—roughly 150 square feet—that accentuates the theme “play.” On October 16th and 17th, Truebeck showcased the space it created with RMW Architects. Truebeck's Uber team got involved with the project because the event itself raised funds for Kidpower, an organization dedicated to empowering children to overcome bullying, prejudice, and harassment. That was in part why the theme of the event was “play.” Taking the theme of play, Truebeck and RMW divided the space into two sections. One side a lush green room with a dark atmosphere to create a quite space, the other was a bright white room with colored lights. “I wanted to think about how adults play, and how we are bombarded everyday by our tv screens and our phones,” said Jenna Szczech, Senior Designer for RMW Architects. “How do you go from secluded solitude to getting ready to dance it out? There are two sides to adult play and the experience is the most important part.” One of the coolest features of the project was a wall of headphones where guests could listen to calming music in one room and then switch it to dance music in the other. “It turned out pretty amazing and came together quickly. There was a real thought to flow through the space. RMW absolutely nailed it,” said David Steenson Senior, Project Manager with Truebeck. [gallery ids="2524,2525,2526,2527,2528,2529,2530,2531,2535,2532,2533,2534"]
READ MORETruebeck’s Team for Tomorrow took time on their Saturday to walk for a cure for ALS. All across the world, researchers are pursuing better drugs to assist those with ALS and ultimately find a cure. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease that affects the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. At the event, dozens of tents stood proud to represent the teams that marched. It was a day filled with lots of hugs, love, and hope. The walk wound through Coyote Point in San Mateo, providing walkers with splendid views of the Bay. Two paths were available, one three miles long and the other one. Our group leisurely walked the two-mile course and chatted and laughed the whole way! “It’s an important cause that needs more awareness. We got to meet Kim’s Dad and her Mom, and you definitely felt really good being a part of something like this,” shared Jim Murphy, Preconstruction Executive. The event raised over $200,000 to fight against ALS!
READ MOREApproximately 1 in 285 children in the United States are diagnosed with cancer before the age of 20. This September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and Truebeck is partnering with Okizu to raise money to send kids with cancer to a special camp dedicated to bringing joy to these young patients. Okizu (oak-eye-zoo) comes from the Sioux language and means unity, to come together, to heal from a hurt, to make whole. The mission of Okizu is to help all members of families affected by childhood cancer to heal through peer support, respite, mentoring, and recreational programs. An anonymous donor said, “As someone that had a childhood cancer, I believe this camp is a very important support mechanism for those people who have had cancer or know someone that has had cancer.” In the “Okizu 2018 Year in Review,” a family camp parent said, “There’s no other place in the world where you’re surrounded by caring friends who empathize rather than just sympathize.” For those who donate, your impact will be tripled because of an exciting matching gift. That means for every dollar Truebeck raises, Okizu gets three! Help us make a lasting difference in the lives of families coping with childhood cancer by donating today. https://youtube.com/watch?v=fH9tHPdv7fM&feature=youtu.be
READ MORETruebeck Construction’s volunteer program Team for Tomorrow once more partnered up with Family Giving Tree to donate over 150 backpacks with school supplies to local students. The event itself took place at Truebeck’s headquarters and had a large turnout of employees wanting to make an impact in their local community. With school starting, there are children all across the Bay Area who are excited to start another school year but lack the resources to make the most out of their education. With some communities in the Bay Area suffering with an over 20 percent poverty rate, there are thousands of children in need of assistance. Tackling this issue is no small task, but Truebeck’s employees are familiar with tackling large challenges. At the event, team members made an assembly line, picking up colorful backpacks, then stuffing in notebooks, pencils, pens, markers, glue, erasers, paper, and calculators. Truebeck’s Team for Tomorrow is comprised of volunteers who seek to make a positive impact in their communities outside of the office and jobsite. Sponsored by Truebeck Construction, members of Team for Tomorrow donate their time and money to charitable organizations across the Bay Area. Family Giving Tree is a non-profit with over 25 years of service. At the moment, they are the largest holiday gift and backpack donation program in California with over 1.6 million children and individuals as the recipients of their volunteerism.
READ MOREThe soles of Jordan’s shoes are splitting, and it won’t be long before they fall apart and resemble flip-flops more than shoes. Jordan wouldn’t normally care but school is starting soon, and he is going into the eighth grade where his peers will see his disastrous footwear. On August 17, My New Red Shoes hosted an event at the 49ers Academy in East Palo Alto where Truebeck’s Team for Tomorrow handed out new shoes to help children start the school year off right. My New Red Shoes is a non-profit with over a decade of assisting children in the San Francisco Bay Area and Portland by giving them new shoes for the start of school. They have provided relief for over 65,000 homeless and low-income children. In 2017, they served 10,832 children and worked with 4,414 volunteers who provided over 8,000 hours of service. And in 2019, they’re still making a difference. Within twenty minutes of waking up, Jordan arrived at his school gymnasium to see tables covered with shoes of all shapes, sizes, colors, and brands like it was a buffet. Strangers with permanent smiles on their faces dashed around grabbing shoes and then handed them to his excited peers. Jordan knew there had to be a pair of skating shoes for him somewhere in the mix. Jordan soon spotted his prize. At the back of a table was a pair of black Adidas with a slick white sole and laces. “They’re cool,” Jordan said. “I like the fact that they’re Adidas and look like Vans.” “Many times, we encounter students who share that they do not go to school because they do not have clothing to wear or because they are bullied over repetition of outfits,” said a spokesperson for the Gilroy School District. The pressure for children to succeed academically is already intense, but when coupled with the pressure of impressing classmates that weight can feel like an iron barbell on their shoulders. Volunteers sought to alleviate that weight by providing something as simple as a new pair of shoes to give children a boost of confidence before the school year. “We try to teach kids that it’s not what’s on the outside that matters; it’s what’s on the inside. But you know what it’s like to be a 13-year-old,” said Becca Winslow the Director of Community Engagement for My New Red Shoes. Winslow has been a member of My New Red Shoes since 2008 and has seen Truebeck volunteers return year after year. “When you look at the community, it’s magical,” she said. Magical couldn’t be more apt to describe Truebeck’s Team for Tomorrow. Simply saying everyone had a smile on their face would be an understatement. “My last girl hugged me,” said Victoria Viet one of Truebeck’s newest Project Engineers. “I don’t know if we're allowed too, but she reached out for one.” When asked why Maria Ticzon volunteered, she said, “Kindness comes back.”
READ MOREMovember is kind of a big deal around here. Truebeck partnered with 95.7 The Game for our annual Movember Foundation fundraiser. If you tuned in, you may have caught our rad ads and shoutouts on the air at 95.7 FM. With everyone's help, we raised over $21,000 for men's health! Amazing! On November 29th, we turned Devil's Canyon Brewery into our annual Truebeck Movember Awards Night. Guests were greeted in the sports hall of fame, we even had Rollie Fingers and Ron Swanson join us. The venue was filled with moustachery. Our special guest from 95.7 The Game, Dan Dibbley, MC'd the awards with Todd Ahern Chief Estimator; which kept the crowd smiling and laughing all night. We're already looking forward to November 2019!
READ MOREEvery year around Back-to-School time, our Team for Tomorrow volunteers partner with Family Giving Tree to collect school supplies and backpacks for local children in need. Family Giving Tree collects backpacks and supplies for low-income children to support science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) education in local schools. Did you know: One out of every four Bay Area children now lives below the poverty line? By the 3rd grade, these students are, on average, already two years behind their peers in reading and math. At retail, a backpack with school and STEAM-based supplies can range from $35 (Elementary) to $70 (High School) dollars. For those living under the federal poverty line, often there are no funds left over for books and school supplies - even the basics of pencils and paper. When these supplies are not available in the home, homework often goes undone. The Family Giving Tree’s annual Back-to-School drive was launched in 1995 with the goal of closing the educational gap for in-need K-12 students. New backpacks full of essential, grade-appropriate school supplies are collected and delivered to Bay Area students. In 2017 alone, 40,546 backpacks were distributed through 325 partner schools and agencies. However, this generous donation figure represents only about 10% of the total need. This year Truebeck team members donated 182 backpacks full of school supplies! We appreciate all of our Team for Tomorrow volunteers who donated a backpack and helped out with the charity event. Thank you for helping us bring joy and learning to those in need.
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