COMMUNITY SERVICE

“Bicycle Build” at Turning Wheels for Kids (TWK)

John Hammerschmidt and other members of the Silicon Valley Chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) volunteer each year to assemble bicycles for Christmas distribution at a Turning Wheels for Kids (TWK) Bicycle Build. TWK is a program of the Valley Health Foundation, a nonprofit that distributes bikes not only at Christmas but year-round through partnerships that support low-income families and preventing childhood obesity.
Susan Runsvold founded TWK to provide bicycle donations to local children at Christmas. She soon realized that beyond the

immediate thrill of Christmas morning, these bikes bring children independence, confidence, a fun way to exercise, and a sense of adventure that nothing else quite matches. TWK works with numerous partners to encourage outdoor activity—like riding a bike to school or hanging out with friends—to improve children’s health and well-being.
“We must recognize that the childhood obesity epidemic is connected to sedentary pastimes: TVs, computers, texting, and video games,” says Susan Runsvold. “We must hit a reset button and bring children back outdoors to experience the fun we all remember from our childhoods. We must give children the opportunity to share bike riding as an important childhood rite of passage. And as the number one gift requested by these children, bikes can bring kids back outdoors to active play—exactly what a child should be doing.”

To view a video on the NARI Bike Build, please visit The Wood Connection Virtual Bike Build.

If you would like to donate or learn more about sponsoring a Bike Build, visit www.turningwheelsforkids.org

AYSO Soccer Equipment Shed Repair

One of our clients, who has been active in AYSO soccer since his kids were very young, asked for help fixing a damaged equipment shed. Most of our guys love soccer and this project was an excellent opportunity to give back to the community. Our team repaired the door, installed a new lock, and gave the shed a facelift with new paint. Now, the kids can get back to playing soccer, knowing their equipment will be safe and dry.

Los Altos Rotary Club installs a new BBQ at Patriot’s Corner in Shoup Park to honor local veterans.

As a longtime member of the Los Altos Rotary Club, John has enjoyed being a part of the community by participating in many of the Rotary-sponsored projects. In the spring of 2016, after nearly three years of consulting, permitting, purchasing, and construction, the Rotary Club built and installed a new barbecue at Patriot’s Corner in Shoup Park to honor local veterans.

Funds raised at the club’s annual Fine Art in the Park Show underwrote the project, and volunteers donated their labor. Over five Saturdays, 17 Rotary Club volunteers dug the footprint, poured the reinforced slab footing, erected sides and a top, set the stone siding, and installed the grill and brass Rotary nameplate. George Garcia of Garcia Tile in Santa Clara, a Hammerschmidt subcontractor, installed the tile countertop pro bono.

Read an article on the project in the Los Altos Town Crier.

The David Benzer Strike Out
Fear Foundation

The Strike Out Fear Foundation, directed by Lynn Hammerschmidt, launched its Immediate Impact program to create comforting, life-affirming environments in cancer clinic waiting rooms nationwide. John donated his time- after hours to not disturb patients during treatment- to complete the foundation’s first makeover at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. A 3D monitor, Blu-ray disc player, and a beverage machine were installed in the waiting room, and speakers were installed in the radiation treatment room. Please see the Strike Out Fear website for more information on the Foundation and the Immediate Impact Program.

Sequoia High School, Powell Art Gallery | When One Reclaimed Door Opens

Our team had the privilege of working with Sequoia High School in Redwood City to transform one of their existing classrooms into an art gallery. We had previously remodeled the Powell Art Gallery room several years ago. Art teacher Mozy da Costa Pinto called with an unusual request: “Do you know where I could find some used doors for an art project?” And being the Certified Green Remodeling Company that we are, we happened to have many. The students used the doors as the canvas for their final projects. We were thrilled to see that recycling can lead to such

Rather than dump used windows and doors in landfills, we store them in our warehouse and donate them to our church youth group’s Mission to Mexico project, which builds homes each summer. We also find new homes for them on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. Da Costa Pinto wanted to provide each senior art student with a door to paint to symbolize their impending rite of passage from high school to the next step in their journey. Many of the completed projects are pictured here.

Kings Academy Mission Trip

John and Alex Hammerschmidt journeyed to Mexico to build homes for families without adequate shelter. Each year, The King’s Academy students take part in mission trips worldwide to broaden their worldview, build relationships with the people they meet and each other, and make a significant difference in fulfilling the physical and spiritual needs of those they serve. This year, the crews built 15 homes and remodeled a school building.

The house the crew built. John and Alex are in the second row, first and second from the left.

Hammerschmidt Builds in Mexico

For over 30 years, students, parents, and staff of The King’s Academy in Sunnyvale have traveled to Tecaté, Mexico, to build homes for Mexican families. A non‐profit organization, Baja Vision Ministries, helps identify families needing homes. More than 400 homes have been built through the program.

John demonstrated how to use a circular saw on the first day of the trip. Happily, no fingers were lost all week!

AchieveKidS

Hammerschmidt Construction, along with a group of other local contractors, assisted AchieveKids with the remodeling of their Palo Alto facility. The company donated materials and labor to increase the facility’s functionality, comfort, and ambiance.

With locations in Palo Alto and East San Jose, AchieveKids serves Bay Area children aged 5 to 22 with emotional and developmental disabilities, including intellectual disabilities, autistic spectrum disorder, mood disorders, disruptive behavior, anxiety, and psychotic disorders. Their approach is to address the child, not the diagnosis. For more information, visit the AchieveKids website

Holiday Party Food Drive

As part of our annual holiday party, Hammerschmidt Construction encourages our employees, subcontractors, and customers to bring canned food to donate to Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties.

At the annual Hammerschmidt holiday party, we encourage our employees and subcontractors to bring canned food to donate to Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. Second Harvest is dedicated to ending local hunger. Since its inception in 1974, they have become one of the largest food banks in the nation, providing food to an average of nearly 250,000 people each month. The Food Bank mobilizes individuals, companies, and community partners to connect people to the nutritious food they need. Almost half of the food distributed is fresh produce. For more information, see the Second Harvest website.

Mt. Hermon Missionary Baptist Church Donation

We donated cabinets removed from a remodeling project in San Jose to the Mt. Hermon Missionary Baptist Church in San Francisco. The church was being renovated on a limited budget, and the cabinets were a welcome donation. Whenever possible, we list usable cabinets, fixtures, appliances, and other items removed from the homes we remodel and offer them for free to local charities or online.

“I am writing on behalf of Mt. Hermon Missionary Baptist Church to thank you for allowing us to proudly take possession of the white cabinets your company recently removed from a remodeling job in San Jose, CA. As I previously stated to Mr. John Hammerschmidt, we at Mt. Hermon are in the process of remodeling our church, and as you can see from the photo, the cabinet installations are nearly complete. Again, your generosity is greatly appreciated, and truly a GOD send. Thank you, and may the Lord God continue to bless you as you have blessed our church in this time of need.”
Thank you!
Deacon Lloyd A. Ford Sr.
Mount Hermon Missionary Baptist Church
San Francisco, CA
August 2012