We help improve Des Moines residences one project at time, but committing to community service has been deep-rooted since our inception. We strive to help improve people’s lives not only through our remodeling & construction projects, but also by volunteering to make Central Iowa a better place. Members of the Silent Rivers team stay active in organizations and events throughout the year. Here are just a few of the opportunities that we enjoy, and we encourage others to get involved, too. The results are quite satisfying:
A member of the Silent Rivers team makes a Jazz in July event even more enjoyable for a young attendee.
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Metro Arts Alliance – Jazz in July  –  www.jazzinjuly.org
- Throughout the month of July, Metro Arts Jazz in July provides free outdoor concerts and activities throughout Greater Des Moines. Â Silent Rivers gets involved by sponsoring the concert in the Westwood Neighborhood, and creating child friendly activities for this event.
The Des Moines Rehabbers Club –  renovatedsm.org
- Steve Wilke-Schapiro, a Designer at Silent Rivers, co-founded and oversees the Des Moines Rehabbers Club. Â This community group is open to “anyone with an appreciation for renovation and restoration of old buildings.” Â The group provides information, classes, and tours so members can learn the proper techniques to renovating old buildings.
Rebuilding Together  –  rebuildingtogetherdm.wordpress.com
- Silent Rivers’ team members have volunteered for this “organization that, in partnership with the community, rehabilitates the homes of low-income homeowners, particularly the elderly, disabled, and families with dependent children.” In 2014, participants joined other volunteers from the Greater Des Moines Remodelers’ Council in rehabilitating a home in Northwest Des Moines. The Remodeler’s Council has a long-standing history doing community service projects, and we have always supported similar efforts.
Brinks Charity Kickball Tournament  –  www.facebook.com/BrinksCharityKickball
- Silent Rivers sponsors and participates in this annual kickball tournament that raises money for various local charity organizations. Â This year’s beneficiary is Camp Hertko Hollow (www.camphertkohollow.com).
Des Moines Art Festival  –  desmoinesartsfestival.org
- This will be the second year that Silent Rivers will be helping the Des Moines Art Festival by designing, building and installing their Hospitality Suites and the furniture within. We look forward to the creativity of the Festival each year.
Iowa DOT Adopt-A-Highway  –  www.iowadot.gov/maintenance/adopt_a_highway
- Each Spring and Fall we spend a Saturday morning removing litter from a half mile stretch of Interstate 235 in central Des Moines.
Young Women’s Resource Center  –  www.ywrc.org
- Silent Rivers designs, builds, and donates a chair that is auctioned off during the Young Women’s Resource Center’s annual fundraising event “Sit On It.”  The YWRC’s “goal is to help young women become strong, self-confident and successful by providing programming to girls ages 10-21 in central Iowa.”
Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity  –  www.gdmhabitat.org/restore
- As we deconstruct many of our remodeling projects, we direct many of the donated items that come out of these houses to the Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity ReStore. Â This keeps these items out of the landfill, and provides our clients with a tax deductible charitable contribution. Â We sometimes, we have been able to purchase materials that can be re-used in our finished projects.
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These are just a few of the events and organizations with missions that we support during the year. Choosing organizations or projects that effectively align with our company vision as well as with the interests of our staff is important. The above organizations, along with many others throughout the metro, can use more help from the community. So please take time to follow links above and learn more about what you can do to assist.
After asking attendees at the Drake Neighborhood / Roosevelt Shopping Center Jazz In July concert to share their insight and memories about Home, we then collaborated with participating neighborhood businesses to share these personal reflections.