Vulcan Materials Company announced today a $1,000 contribution to jumpstart a new service learning initiative at Central Piedmont Community College’s (CPCC) Crowder Construction Institute, located on the College’s Harper Campus. The gift creates a new local public-private partnership and will include a strong community outreach initiative that will benefit Queen City residents.

Vulcan’s donation will allow students from CPCC’s Crowder Construction Institute to apply their industry knowledge and help improve residential homes located in Charlotte’s Ramblewood neighborhood, located next to CPCC’s Harper Campus in southwest Charlotte.

Throughout each semester, CPCC students will participate in a variety of home improvement projects that include making non-structural external and limited internal upgrades to selected residential properties. The funds from Vulcan and other community supporters will be used to purchase the necessary construction materials to make these repairs and improvements.

This initiative stemmed from a 2008 collaborative community effort led by Vulcan Materials Company. Representatives from CPCC’s Crowder Construction Institute, the Ramblewood Neighborhood Association and the City of Charlotte’s Neighborhood Development Division agreed to work on projects that would mutually benefit the immediate community.

“Vulcan strives to be a good corporate citizen and support educational programs that benefit our industry,” said Denise Hallett, community affairs manager for Vulcan’s Southern N.C. area. “Our partnership with CPCC offers the perfect conduit to provide sustainable benefits to our neighbors and support the construction trades at the CPCC Crowder Construction Institute.”

“Vulcan’s generosity is giving our students the opportunity to take what they learn in the classroom and apply it to worthwhile causes that will help the local community and its residents,” said Steve Corriher, director of construction technologies at CPCC. “The hands-on experience our students will gain as a result of this initiative will prepare them well for careers in the construction industry, a burgeoning field in the Charlotte market.”

“Many thanks are extended to CPCC and Vulcan for their partnership on the Ramblewood Rehabilitation program,” said James White, president of the Ramblewood homeowner’s association. “This project has been a blessing to those whose homes are in need of repair and we look forward to building on this relationship which has already garnered great success.”

To learn more about this program, contact Denise Hallett at 704.549.1540 or Steve Corriher at 704.330.4421.

About Vulcan
Vulcan Materials Company is a member of the S&P 500 index and is the nation’s foremost producer of construction aggregates and a major producer of other construction materials. In 2008, Vulcan was recognized as one of Fortune magazine’s world's most admired companies for the eighth time.  Vulcan was again number one (in our industry rank) for social responsibility. For more information about Vulcan, see www.vulcanmaterials.com

About CPCC
Central Piedmont Community College is the largest community college in North Carolina, offering close to 300 degree and certification programs, customized corporate training, market-focused continuing education, and special interest classes. CPCC is academically, financially and geographically accessible to all citizens of Mecklenburg County. In 2002, the National Alliance of Business named CPCC the Community College of the Year for its response to the workforce and technology needs of local employers and job seekers through innovative educational and training strategies.

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