HITCHCOCK, Texas - In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, 84 Lumber's Building Hope Foundation set out to build a library for the Hitchcock Head Start Program, a federally funded program for nearly 220 three- and four-year-old students. Prior the the hurricane, the library contained only one small shelf of books in the hallway of the program's building.

 

The company donated $6,000 in building materials, as well as 800 pounds of gently used books collected by the company’s team headquarters, area libraries, and local women’s business enterprises (WBE). The new and expanded library opened on Dec. 15, 2017 with a ceremony held at the head start program in Hitchcock, Texas where students, parents, community leaders, and Chamber of Commerce members celebrated the new space.

 

With the support and donations of various businesses, 84 Lumber helped provide the students with tools to reach their full learning potential. With a donation by Carol Philip of CPI Creative, a local WBE, each student received a backpack with a new book, a coloring book, and crayons. The new books were donated by Anne Givan of Waste Disposal Solutions, one of 84 Lumber’s WBE suppliers, while several other local WBEs helped the company donate $900 to the Hitchcock ISD Education Foundation. In addition, the nonprofit Game Changers of New York donated new sporting equipment to the program. 

 

“I was so moved by the genuine desire of Hitchcock’s community leaders to recognize, in the face of adversity, that education remains a gift for the innocent members of their community,” said Stacy Klein, executive director of the Building Hope Foundation. “84 Lumber is proud to be a part of their recovery and sustainability.”

 

Founded in 1956, 84 Lumber Company is a privately held supplier of building materials, manufactured components, and industry-leading services for single- and multi-family residences and commercial buildings. 84 Lumber operates more than 250 stores, component manufacturing plants, custom door shops, custom millwork shops, and engineered wood product (EWP) centers in 30 states, representing the top 130 markets in the country.