HeroWork helps other charities thrive by renewing and refreshing their physical infrastructure through the “art of modern-day barn raising.” We call these “barn raisings” Radical Renovations, where all of community comes together with cooperation and common vision.

Across Canada charity buildings (community halls, housing, food banks, day care centers, health and wellness centers, etc.) are deteriorating at an irreplaceable rate, affecting the social fabric of our communities. There is a deficit of resources--financial, technical, and human--to refurbish and maintain the places where people come together to celebrate and participate in their shared lives and values.

To solve this growing problem HeroWork leverages funds, resources, and people to achieve exceptional transformations of charity buildings at a fraction of traditional costs and time, creating a legacy of renewed infrastructure.

By securing in-kind supply and service donations and through the mobilization of many volunteers, HeroWork is able to deliver a Radical Renovation event for a fraction of the actual value, resulting in a significant benefit in savings to the charity.

Their investment, or “seed money,” is used primarily for the purchase of supplies: lumber, windows, flooring, paint, etc., as well as some of HeroWork’s operational costs such as project leadership and oversight. HeroWork does not pay for any supplies used in the renovation, but solicits supplies at cost or by donation when possible through our innovative program.

The HeroWork program is designed to mobilize the community to contribute that vast majority of the cost of the event by designing, developing, and organizing an inspirational event that we call a Radical Renovations.

To organize all of this we develop leaders, train volunteers, and develop marketing campaigns that bring many thousands of dollars of in-kind supply and service donations to the project. HeroWork also contributes tested project management expertise, full safety protocols, and much, much more.

A Radical Renovation is a fast-paced renovation event that involves hundreds of trades and volunteers coming together in a very short period of time to complete a comprehensive renovation.

The opening day starts with a March onto the Site, the Opening Ceremonies, the Demo, and a Community Block Party with live music and food. Each subsequent day has large teams of people working in unison within a highly organized and sequenced manner. Everyone eats lunch and dinner together, which is catered by local restaurants while live music plays. Professional photographers are always on the site snapping pics and posting them on social media. Videographers are there as well as traditional media. On the final day during the Big Reveal there is a “Move the Truck!” moment after which the recipients walk through the cheering crowd. The Reveal is then streamed live to multiple monitors outside so that all of the volunteers and sponsors can see the look on the recipients’ faces as they are awed by the results of the completed project.

These events ripple out goodwill into the community through the example of what can be done when people work together with common vision and good planning.

Each HeroWork project recipient is chosen carefully through a comprehensive process. Element that are considered include:

• Is the organization a charity and in good financial standing with the ability to contribute financially to the renovation?
• Is there a demonstrable impact the renovation will have on the community and charity’s vulnerable constituents?
• Do they have an original and compelling story?
• Does the charity have good community buy-in?
• Do they have a community spirit, cooperative attitude, and passion?
• Do they have good internal leadership capacity?
• Is the project scope of an appropriate size and is it aligned with HeroWork’s program and goals?
• Does the renovation have longevity and sustainability?
• Is there an available area for project staging?
• What is level of project risk?

If you know of a charity or are a charity that needs a renovation, please contact us via email.

The visible benefit is a refurbished and sustainable building that is safe, beautiful, and meets current building codes. The difference between the “before” and the “after” is dramatic. Typically, for every dollar a recipient charity contributes to the project, HeroWork multiplies four times over through the art of modern-day barn raising.

But there are other benefits of engagement between HeroWork and the recipient charity. Recipient charities are better able to deliver their mandate through improved workflow, decreased utility costs, lower ongoing maintenance costs, and potentially expanded delivery of services. Recipient charities also gain an opportunity to increase community awareness of their purpose and mission, achieving both broader and deeper support within the community.

The intangible benefits of a HeroWork Radical Renovation include more than the infrastructure renewal, but also a renewed sense of belonging and community for participants, an increase in leadership capacity and showcasing role models for the charity and the community of volunteers, as well as a sense of pride and engagement for clients, staff and volunteers working in the improved space.