Let's go find that next woman who all she is waiting for is an opportunity to make a difference for her and her family.
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(01:10): Anyone who listens on a regular basis knows we are big advocates for workforce development. Our guests today are on a mission to provide industry disruptive programming that sparks interest and builds pathways to lucrative careers in the skilled trades for youth, women and marginalized communities, Latoya and Marion are an integral part of what makes she built this city. Such an exciting opportunity. Both are very passionate about what they do and are helping to push powerful and positive change in our industry. It's my pleasure to welcome Latoya and Marion to today's show. Welcome ladies. Hello. Hello. Thank you for having us. So you both have some pretty accomplished careers. Um, and that now I'm sure a few folks out there may have even heard of she built this city, but for, you know, the rest of our listeners, tell us a bit about yourselves and your backgrounds and you know, your roles with, with she built this city who wants to go first?
(02:00): Go ahead. Have at It. I am Latoya foster and I am the executive director of she built this city quite surprisingly. At times when we tell this story, I am the person on the team with the least amount of construction experience. what I bring to the, the group to the table to the conversation is a, a background in community development, education, um, and business. And so my background, my trade and training is in education. I was a teacher, um, and I started on the border of Texas and Mexico. And I lived and taught there for three years to teach for America. Um, and that is where my heart for community development was born. It is there where I realized, you know, no matter how of an amazing English teacher I was, if the outcomes or the circumstances outside of the classroom, meaning access to affordable housing, access to jobs that pay a living wage. If those things were not available in the community, what you did inside the classroom really did not have a return on your investment of time and energies. And so I left the classroom in pursuit of whatever that next thing was. And it's taken me 20 years to, to, to find myself here with she built the city with an organization that I do believe is the answer to a lot of those issues of finding pathways of good paying jobs for as our mission states, youth, women, marginalized communities, um, that can really make generational change and build legacy, help people build legacies for their families. And so it's our pleasure to be here. I'll pass it over to Maryanne, who is our corporate partnerships manager.
(03:35): Hi, thank you. Like I said, I'm Marion. I'm, uh, soon to be changing my title actually at she built this city. Um, I've been a part-time employee with the, with the staff since I started last November, but actually moving full time, which is really exciting. So I came to, she built this city actually through a partnership with Lowe's. I was a field manager for a window and door installation crew, and we only installed for Lowe's and one of our board members first, she built this city is actually a Lowe's employee and has been for many, many years. So I knew him through that and he introduced me to Latoya thinking, Hey, maybe you guys have some synergy, you can maybe train some women to do some window and door installation work. And I was like, yeah, that'd be awesome. And then I met her and I was like, this is awesome. And I absolutely fell in love with the mission of she built this city. I oddly enough have an education in nonprofit management. That is what my master's degree is in, but I've never done anything with it. I went and pursued this degree, um, thinking like, yeah, this is what I wanna do. I wanna work for a nonprofit organization. When I grow up, I had been a volunteer with an organization called Casa, right outta college. It's a child advocacy program. So I thought this is really what I wanna do come graduation. Uh, and I was just waiting tables and I tried to get a, uh, you know, a career, a job, uh, living in Las Vegas in the nonprofit world. And that never happened. And so I went and worked for pillow, windows and doors because I needed to pay rent . And so it just kind of snowballed from there.
(05:20): And I just stayed in the window and door industry until I met her. And I basically was like, I would love to just quit my job and give you all my time. And so she was like, I will interview you . So, uh, by happenstance, it all worked out really well. Um, been very excited to be a part of the team. I love what we do and it just kind of melds both. Uh, I wouldn't say windows and doors and it was my passion, but around the world of construction and then the nonprofit world is just it's awesome. Well, workforce development is huge for us. We're passionate about it. We have a lot of different things that we try to get involved with. And certainly through builder nuggets here, try to try to spread the message of all the different things that are out there. It's, it's amazing to me how many things there really are available. I think the problem is, you know, people don't hear about it. You know, it doesn't get out to the B the broader message. So tell us a little bit about what, what she built this city is where it is. Um, give us some background.
(06:17): So as you stated, we are a nonprofit organization based currently in Charlotte, North Carolina, with, um, aggressive growth goals in the next few years. I like to say that we are a workforce development organization that understands that career decisions are made early. Therefore, we start early, as young as seven years old, our team is currently at a local parks and recreation center here in our county building wooden robots with a group of about 40 kids as we speak . So we know that if we don't get those young people exposed to early, when it comes time to make that career decision, they're not going to choose the trades. Why just, as you were saying, Dwayne, it's not only do adults not know, you know, what opportunities in past are out there, but our young people with trades having been taken out of the schools in the seventies, they're not exposed to it as an option. And if you don't have a family member or a, um, close friend in the family that is in the trades, or can teach you the basics of how to use a tool, you literally have no opportunity to learn. So we start our exposure early. And so we have our Explorer, kids, curriculum, non, um, gender based. Anyone can come and get their hands dirty, use a power tool. If you're 12 hand tool, if you're younger, um, to create something, to build and design, because we believe at the core of, um, construction is creation. It is an artistic trade. Um, that often isn't marketed as such after our Explorer kids, we have our clubs. And so this is for middle school and beyond. So we're not just doing the one time exposure. Now we're talking about community need and building design and trajectory of a project. So we're building picnic tables, we're building sheds.
(08:00): Um, we did with a local high school, we helped the humane society, design animal shaped bike racks that were installed at their new community center. And our youth designed it from start to finish. And it is currently being fabricated and installed as we speak. So we take from beginning to end, these young women had never even been exposed to landscape architecture. Um, but now they all are aware, have met a professor, have met project designers in this field, in this space. And so we go deeper because we want them to choose a career in that path. And we know that if a young girl isn't exposed to a stem career, science, technology, engineering, or math, by the time she's in the sixth grade, she is not gonna choose it. So anything that comes to her later in that time, oh, that sounds like a nice idea, but she's already decided nursing.
(08:46): She's already decided teacher she's already decided another common career path that she's been exposed to. Um, so those are our youth focused areas. Um, but in 2021, um, a little bit with a push from the pandemic, we launched our adult trades training program with our plumbing pre-apprenticeship for women, I say a little bit pushed by the pandemic because we know that women were impacted by the pandemic. More meaning that the industries, that women were majority in like hospitality, retail, childcare, those were hit the hardest and are having a hard time bouncing back. There are women out here with four year degrees realizing that they're underemployed and needing a way to make a better living for them and their families. And so we had eight women come through our plumbing, pre-app apprenticeship, and we launched our electrician pre-apprenticeship this spring. And we've had five graduates from that program. And we are currently launching our two year facilities, maintenance, technician, apprenticeship. And so these women will be actually hired by, she built the city, um, to work in the facilities, maintenance industry. And lastly, we have our plumbing, the next round of our plumbing coming up in August. Um, I always leave out technology when I give my, my spiel. I'm gonna kick it over to Marion, um, to talk a little bit about the construction. I mean the technology space,
(10:05): Well, B before we do that, what year did all of this get started? And did you found it, how did it all get started? What's the origin story? So we were actually founded in 2019 by a gown named Demi Knight Clark. Uh, she actually spent 20 plus years in the construction industry and had a realization like I am consistently the only woman at the table in my career. And she realized that speaking on panels, being on advisory boards, doing small things within the community were never going to be enough if we wanted to see equity within the trades. So if you ever get the opportunity to meet Demi, she is definitely a Spitfire and she goes big when she does anything. So she launched, she built this city in hopes of a very, very aggressive goal of, she said 50, 50 by 2030. So equity in the trades, um, not just equity in the trades, but workplace culture changes that we see, you know, can, are accepting of women in this space because we know that we can get women hired all day long with the right training. But if the workplace doesn't have the right culture, the right amenities, the right policies and procedures in place to be accepting of women in this space that they will not remain and they will not be successful in the long run. So that is how we began.
(11:35): Tell us about how many team members are you in, in total, you, you said when we were connecting at the, at the start of the show that you're in a super small office , but what does, what does your team look like right now? And you, and you have, you know, we've got breaking builder nuggets news here with your, with your new role as well. Coming up, which won't be by the time this airs it, it won't be an yeah, we're probably in the clear, so we're not, it's not a spoiler alert necessarily, but what does your team look like? I used to Latoya, I used to say we were four and a half strong. Um, so, yeah, we are, we are five now, five full time, um, as of next week, five full-time staff members at the city. So we, we do a lot with very little people. That's awesome. Yes. Well, that, that's amazing. Latoya mentioned that, you know, she's gonna leave the technology aspect of it to you. Tell us about that piece from, from what, you know, a few takeaways from Latoya's intro it's, you guys are really making this fun. You know, when the projects that you're picking to introduce to the young, introduced to the younger people coming in, like building robots and animal shake, bike racks, like you're onto something fun. And you can tell from the energy that you've got going on here. And I imagine that there's probably some technology fun or things that you're doing around that, but you guys got a great vibe going on.
(13:04): Thank you. Yeah. Latoya, when she does this, her, you know, we do this kind of spiel of who we are quite often, and she uses this catchphrase of, we trick kids into the trades We're going trick or trading today. uh, because it is, and like she said, construction is art artist construction. So yes, it is. It is finding where that sweet spot of maybe things that, uh, kids haven't thought about in the trades, you know, because you tell kids like, Hey, we're gonna learn about construction. Have you thought about being in construction or in the skilled trades? And they, we go to high school career fairs and these kids like, Bline it from our table, like, Nope, not interested. So , we have to show them that there's other avenues and other pathways. Um, along with that, we know that technology is now in the, in the construction, uh, space. Uh, there are 3d printing homes at this point. So we know that we need to introduce that piece to this puzzle as well. So last year was at Latoya, we bought 11 3d printers so that we can start our 3d printing workshops with the older kids.
(14:16): So we've done that, um, through different organizations, mainly with the Y M C a. Um, so we're actually right now it's summertime. So Y M C a have their level up programs, which are Friday night opportunities for teens to come and do a variety of activities, swimming, basketball, whatever, but we are there going to be there as well, doing 3d printing workshops so they can get this introductory level, uh, kind of class about, about 3d printing. Um, but we're also exploring, and I shouldn't even say exploring at this point, cause we're doing it now. , uh, virtual reality, also a huge component in, in construction trades. So how we're going about this is a little bit different. And like you said, fun, we're in the middle of building our own virtual reality game, uh, where you are gonna be a person like a handy woman, handyman, if you're a employee, uh, in this game and you're gonna do handy repair work, and it's the different levels, you get harder, um, based on the work that you do, and then you earn more money to grow your handy business.
(15:23): So that's really neat. And then we're also, we know that drones is, is the other piece to this as well. Drones are being used in all facets of the construction industry, whether it's inspections, mapping, measuring progression of job sites. Um, and in really in North Carolina, you only have to be 16 years old to have a drone operating license. Uh, so there, this is an avenue that kids now, youth, now, if they learn how to do this can be making money for themselves. Latoya met a high schooler, who's averaging a thousand dollars a month, uh, doing drone work for different companies. So right then right there, you can see that this is there's different avenues and different pathways in the Atlanta technology to get these youth interested in the construction trades more than just like, Hey, it just comes, swing a hammer. Um, but it's, it's really cool. The things that you can do,
(16:18): It sounds totally cool. And, and what you're describing, it takes more than just five people to get this off the ground. Tell us about who have been your best supporters, like maybe tell us about some of the organizations you, you touched on you that you met through a relationship with Lowe's and your experience with Pella and the Y M C a, who are some of the other organizations that have really been champions for this and, and how did they get involved? So we have a, a full time, a team of five full-time staff. There's a myriad of contractors who give us their time and other ways from curriculum to grant writing. But to your point, we could not do this without the support of our entire community from other corporate partners to community based nonprofits, foundations. And so we opened with lows. They are, they were our seed funder and continued to be a sustaining funder through year three of the organization, um, Moen, Haman early. And that was really the impetus of our plumbing pre-app apprenticeship. They gave us the seed funding to make that happen. There's lots of other construction companies here in the area. You from corporation Turner, construction, McFarland construction. I know I'm gonna leave out somebody . Um, but we had support from the VF foundation. So think Timberland pro, they gave boots to our first cohort of women graduates.
(17:40): Then you have the, the, the foundations here in the Carolina, so United way, um, the foundation of the Carolinas we have, hopefully the time you announce you do this, this will not be breaking news, but the nights Charlotte Knight, we just got a grant yesterday. from them. so that's for our awesome granting. awesome. Yeah, really. So it's, it literally is the entire community, um, who is supporting this because you have the construction companies who have the need. They see, I mean, they feel it the worst of the, the need for jobs. Um, then you have the nonprofit communities who are like workforce development. Yes. Meet people in good paying jobs, but then you have community facing organizations like the Y M C a that says, yes, our students, our families need this. And so it's the entire community from their different lens, seeing that this is a space where our youth and families can be impacted in a positive way.
(18:35): Um, because as you hear probably sort of vicariously, we take a two generational approach. So I didn't mention with our adult women training, um, yes, we have mom in class learning to be a, a skilled technician. Um, but in the room just around the corner is son daughter getting hands on experiences as well. And so as mom is learning how to be a plumber, little Johnny Little Susie are around the corner, learning how to make the wooden robots using their hammer and nail. And so now we have a two generational approach to this and this isn't something it's not life changing in that the idea isn't brand new, but people aren't doing it, or haven't been, you know, like how do you offer support to a woman where you gotta think about the child? And we also offer meals and we also offer a weekly stipend so that while you're coming here, gas, number one, , you know, you can have some offset of expenses to make this happen. So that choosing this new career path for you and your family doesn't hurt you in the short term. So that's, um, some of how we're doing and how we're getting the support of the community to move this forward.
(19:42): Wanna level up, connect with us, to share your stories, ideas, challenges, and successes. The builder nuggets community is built on your experiences. It takes less than a minute to connect with us@buildernuggets.com, Facebook or Instagram, Want access to the resources that can take you and your team to the next level. One call could change everything. Yeah. And, and building the role model in front of the, the young person or the child who wants to emulate them. They're already a hero. So to amplify that, or to, to show that this is something that's valued and look at the success mom's having, and what amazing things she can do is, is really cool. What, what do you know, Lowe's and moan and Timberland, like what, what do they say about the impact that you've had on them? Because it's one thing to, you know, support something to get going, but it's another thing to stay involved. And usually, you know, you're delivering some value back to them and they're excited about supporting it likely in a lot of cases because you're delivering such phenomenal results. What do they say about the program? What keeps them coming back with you?
(20:46): I was gonna say, I'll let you go. But LA's been here from basically the get go. So she had those like super early on conversations with Lowe's and Moen. And like she said, they have continued to support. Um, with Lowe's specifically, we are lucky that we are located in their hometown. Um, you know, we're, we're right around the corner from them. And we are really focusing on the things that align with their focuses of their, uh, charitable foundation. So we know that even though Lowe's is a retail space, moan is a manufacturer of a product at the end of the day. If there's not people doing the work, , they're not gonna succeed either. And they see the value in what we're doing, but that what really, I Latoya touched on this, we go about this in a different way. We're a workforce development organization, but we do it with the twist.
(21:45): I like to say, uh, because we remove barriers, we're removing barriers for women and men, if they so choose, uh, we've had men apply to our programs, but they haven't followed through so no offense, but the women are doing it. , we're removing those barriers so that they can succeed in this new path. And that's something that I know that is, is a, is different, is different than other workforce development organizations, where it's a direct support from us to say, not only, Hey, can you do this, but we're gonna help you in ways that actually make sense for you to succeed. And we're doing that in a way that's like a trust based platform. So it's not just us going out there and putting a flyer up on, you know, a telephone post, or like putting it on social media. We are in the community doing the work with the kids, building relationships with these mothers and saying, Hey, come on, let's have a conversation. And let's talk about why you can do this. So I think our, our supporters really see that difference in what we're doing compared to maybe other organizations that are currently doing more for development training. Yeah.
(23:01): This is primarily, I mean, you guys are based in Charlotte and, and Carolinas is, do you see this expanding, going to other places? Is there anything else out there that's similar. And, and if so, do you collaborate with those folks? I mean, what is, what does it look like outside of maybe say the bubble here? Absolutely. So I'll, I'll answer that and then talk about the, where we're going next. There are lots of people who do something adjacent to what she built this city does. And so there's your traditional workforce development organizations who may have a construction focus. So in our area, you know, you have your urban leagues, your Goodwill, what's called the rock focus on high school. They all have some sort of construction component. And then our sisters in the Raleigh Durham area, hope renovation, they have adult women, workforce development training. Um, you have tools in TIAs up in the New Jersey area where there's a youth focused plumbing. You have girls garage in California. Um, but we are currently the only organization that does the full gamut. So from youth to adult and then bridges the gap in between, we're constantly hearing and seeing and putting our feet on the ground to, to move in the areas.
(24:10): But to my knowledge, we are the only organization that does the full lifespan continuum support of what it means to both have an on ramp for your adults and also build a pathway for youth. Um, so that is what makes us unique and thinking through where we're going next. Um, if we could expand, you know, to other states overnight, I know that there would be a demand for, we hear from them relatively often, they call and email and ask us. Um, but here in the foreseeable future for us within the next 18 months, we're looking at Virginia, South Carolina and then the Greensboro area, and then R D down the road. So three of those, we have programmings happening this year. So we are doing, um, with Timberland. We were mentioning them before Timberland and safeguard in Greensboro, this fall, we're doing the picnic table community service event with their team. That's coming for their annual meeting. Um, I am going up to Richmond, Virginia with the, um, girls for a change diva camp and leading some builds with them. And then we are currently talking to Lineberger construction in South Carolina. I'm in a few other, what is the school Marion, where we're gonna be doing the fed for the softball team in South Carolina, Indian land, the Indian land, middle school, softball girls. We're gonna build a shed for them. Well, they're gonna build the shed. We're just, gonna help it along.
(25:28): So we're, we're trying to take an organic approach to where we currently have partners where we've gotten a request or demand. And again, thanks to seed funding from Lowe's. We're able to do exploratory work in each of those areas this year. And it is our goal to launch formal clubs and or semi organizations, um, in each of those areas going into 20 23, 20, 24 year, You've taken a unique approach. You're, you're the only ones doing it this way. You must have experienced some amazing, unique, personal results from the students or the participants in the programs that you have seen. Do you notice a theme of them? You know, when somebody comes in, there's probably different state states of mind when they're coming in are, you know, they might be curious, they might be a bit nervous. They might lack confidence. What are the great per some of the great personal changes you've seen, because that's really what this is all all about is changing these lives one at one at a time, what does that look like? What are the stories? What do you, what do you see and experience?
(26:26): There's so many stories in our, in the young existence of our organization, but there's two that stick out to me the most. I could probably say three or four as as time moves on. But one for my first plumbing cohort, a young woman by the name of Casey, she found out about, she booked the city at a local food pantry. She got pregnant in the middle of COVID and because everything shut down, I'm including most childcare facilities. She was not able to get childcare in the middle of the pandemic, therefore, unable to get a job in, in the middle of the pandemic. And so we took again, uh, an unusual approach to our recruitment. We were at the food share, handing out flyers for our plumbing cohort. And, um, she took a flyer came and she was a diligent student, had some job core experience in the past.
(27:15): Um, had her G E D and was wanted to work hard, but again gave birth in the middle of a pandemic and wasn't ready to send her child to any kind of facility or if there was even space available. Um, she graduated from our program, not yet ready to leave her son in childcare. And we were all come on, you can do it. You know, we have some, some very good resources for you. Um, but she held out and she held out for a role at Electrolux, an appliance company, doing virtual customer service troubleshooting issues with dishwashers and washer and dryer sets. And so one of the other components of our training that I forgot to mention is through the support of Google. We had Chromebooks that we gave to each of our participants, and we also provided customer service modules for them as well.
(28:01): And so this young lady, Casey did what we, again, she, she brought our vision to life in a way that I had not even seen. She took the combination of the virtual learning with her Chromebook and the customer service, her desire in, um, information she received in the plumbing cohort. And she secured this virtual job that allowed her to stay home with her son. And as I sat back and realized like this, we thought, you know, we wanted the traditional plumbing opportunity for them. What we really were providing was an option for a mother to choose what was best for her and her family. And so she could take all of the tools that she had received figuratively and literally, and she turned that into something that she could now do that worked for her. So her first job out of that pandemic was a virtual one with a established company.
(28:47): Um, and we actually had a, a fundraiser in March and we had invited Casey and she declined because she was in her 90 day probation and didn't wanna leave. We didn't wanna leave work, um, to come to the luncheon, send us a nice video, explaining her story and expressing her gratitude for the opportunity. Um, because she is just one example of the, the woman who wants more for her family, um, just doesn't know how to go about making that happen. And when you give them opportunities and options, they will fashion a lifestyle that is beneficial for them. And she's setting legacy for her son. And that's what she says. She says, I did this for my son. I wanna have my own company that he can then work with. And for me to then establish a legacy for our family. And so that's one of the stories that in, within this last year, it's taking shape.
(29:33): I could tell you about Jessica who's in our current electrician cohort. She graduated she's on site in Georgia getting her training with Martin Marietta, a local, um, quarry company in the area. And so we're having story after story come out of the classes of women who are hungry for opportunity, but just having been able to be exposed. And they need that little boost of either information, knowledge, or connection to, to make that jump over. And we're seeing them once they get that hands to support them, not a handout, but a hand up a support, a push, a network, cuz as we speak, we're looking for boots for Jessica . She needs, we gave her low rise, reinforced sneakers. She needs the high boots that come up above her ankle. We're like, all right, we're all in Jessica. We're gonna help you with that. Um, because those are some of those obstacles that again, if she not been exposed to before, she would not have known that those were options for her, um, and her young son as well. So those are two of our adult stories. Yeah. That just give us that extra push, um, that extra energy, that extra desire to say, okay, let's go find that next woman who all she is waiting for is an opportunity to make a difference for her and her family. And so we're gonna be out there looking for
(30:40): Em, you know, there's so many things as we've had the privilege over the last year or so further and further into organizations like NHB and other podcasts, uh, different platforms that we're involved with, but it's, it's apparent, you know, between things like she built this city girls build.org. Um, the house that she built, uh, NIH B has a DEI diversity equity and inclusion program. I mean, it's, it's, it's apparent now more than ever women, minorities and others are, are on the radar. As you said, I think it's yes to big companies, even smaller companies are all gravely aware of the labor situation, what it's gonna be like in the coming years. So I see huge up upside, you know, for, for programs like yours. But I guess my question to you is what, as an industry and particularly our listeners for the most part are gonna be, you know, the smaller business owners, home builders, remodelers, things like that. I mean, as, as an industry, what do we do to, to help spread this word, you know, about programs like yours and others? I mean, because it it's great again, as I said, as we started off, it's great to have these things, but if we can't get the exposure and make the connections, that's where things break down.
(31:49): Excellent question. Um, it doesn't take, you know, the, the big name to, to make a difference in this space. Um, we are members of NA national association remodeling industry. We've spoken with Beaumont, um, several other of the smaller business uniting coalitions, so to speak here in the area. And what we're asking of, of them is to brainstorm with us, how to ensure there's a pipeline to your organization. What is your succession plan? Um, because we know that oftentimes small businesses don't always have that what's next for them. And so invite us into those conversations to see how we can be a part of that to, to have an apprentice, a woman who wants an opportunity to come under you to help learn. Um, we are partnering with organizations here, like Charlotte works that will help pay for their salaries. And so if we have a committed employer, we can cover 60% of their 50% of their salary for six months.
(32:47): So we would just say like, invite us into the conversation. If you're thinking about scaling, invite us in, can we help? Can we support? Can we provide a pathway for you all, if you would be willing to make a donation to the organization. So you're not ready to yet hire someone new or you don't have that in your next three to five year plan, any donation of any size goes to help support, um, a woman in this space or a child or a youth in this space. As I was mentioning, we are, we do all that we can to support our women to go to the next level. So whether it's their OSHA 10 training that costs like, uh, $50 per person or $120 per person, any amount that you donate to our organization is going to go directly to the support of someone entering to the trades and the pipeline to move forward. And so help us collaborate with you to talk about succession onboarding plans, expansion plans, um, donate, you can donate to, to the mission of this work. Um, we have leadership opportunities. Also. We have our women at work advisory council. So they're, they are our ears to the ground. They're the ones who say, Hey, Lu, soya, this is coming on the pipeline. How are you training your youth and your adults on this? Or have you heard of this company coming to town? You need to get a meeting with ex CEO. So if you wanna just be sort of in the know and help us form our strategy, um, there's also leadership opportunities to engage with the organization.
(34:08): Well, it sounds like it because you have, you know, you, you mentioned a few different expansion areas, so somebody wanting, you know, there's lots of ways. It seems like to get involved, whether it's to donate, uh, donate time, create space for somebody to grow within your organization, where they can add value, you know, right away, or to help below this, um, initiative up and, and expand it. That's, you're at a really exciting time because you've got proof. You've got, you know, you, you told the, the two of your favorite stories, there's lots more, but it's happening and it's working and that's gotta be exciting for, for somebody who wants to learn more, uh, about what you're doing. What's the best way for them to go find a website, Marion, how would somebody, how would somebody connect with you to get started or to learn? What's the, what's the best spot for them in playing a role in, in the success of this program?
(35:05): Yeah, definitely. So our website is she built this city.org. That is where you can find how to sign up, to be a volunteer sign up for our newsletter, email us, uh, the, the generic info. She built the city.org email goes to me. So , I'll be happy to answer any questions or, um, help anybody who wants to get involved. Kind of understand what that would, could look like for them. Um, follow us on social media, we're on all, all the, the cool platforms like Facebook and Instagram. And, uh, so follow us there. Cause I'm always posting some about what we're doing, how we're involved in the community and what upcoming events we have, uh, going on. So please reach out. And in terms of supplies, tools, clothing, you know, you talked about Timberland, you've got all these different programs. Do people donate items as well? Are those, are, are there, you know, is that another way to, uh, to contribute?
(36:06): Yeah, definitely. Um, we have, you know, we have a fully functioning workshop here at the Huga coworking space. We have, uh, lots of tools, but we, you know, as we expand and grow, um, we will always be in need of those items as well. So we do have an Amazon wishlist. So if on Amazon smile, if anybody wants to check that out, um, search, she built this city and you can see all our needs cuz beyond tools. You know, there's always little things that people may not think about. We always need ink for our printer. silly, things like that. So check it out, Bootstrapping kudos to you guys for doing what you're doing. It's it's amazing work. And I would think too, we've got listeners that will frankly go all around, definitely all around north America. And I'm sure there's, there may be a few out there that are, you know, they don't have, she built this city in their, in their local town, but you know, maybe they have something similar. Maybe they wanna help get something off the ground. And I mean, I'm sure you guys would be more than grateful to talk to them and, and help them in any way you can, but you know, continue to keep doing what you guys are doing. Let us know if there's anything we can do to help spread the word and, you know, thanks again for taking the time to, to get that message out. Thank you. Thank You both for having us, for giving us opportunity to talk more about the mission, the work, the women that we serve. Um, we're we're grateful.
Hey, thanks for listening, Dwayne and I love hearing from you. Your stories are inspiring and your challenges can be Overcome. Got a cool tip idea for a show problem that you haven't been able to solve, or maybe just struggling to figure out what you need next and where to get it. We can help hit us Up@buildernuggets.com and start building freedom.
