The College of Fellows has established a small grants fund to assist AIA components in the development of programs that enhance the activities of an existing Emerging Professionals (EP) group or as seed money to help start a new one. All grants must be for a specific program or activity of a local, state, or regional Emerging Professionals group.

NEI’s Emerging Professionals group has been working on establishing an outreach program that identifies an individual or group within our local community in need of a remodel or addition that could substantially change their quality of life for the better. Our EPs decided to submit this idea to the component grants program and were recently notified that their project had been selected. Out of forty groups that submitted, ten were chosen to receive funding. Our Emerging Professionals group received $2,500 to aid in their efforts.

Although the person or group to be chosen will vary, our intent would remain the same.  We will provide an organized and well thought-out solution to transform a room, exterior, or obstacle that is currently hindering one’s ability to function successfully. Funding from the grant will allow our outreach committee to purchase materials, rent equipment, and implement the first “One Room at a Time” project.

As a result of many conversations and brain storming exercises, NEI has established the Pro-Bono Committee which allows the Emerging Professionals outreach committee and AIA members to collaborate on these community projects. We truly are set to begin a great program that will allow the talents of our members to reach those who would otherwise have little access to the design community. A few projects are already underway:

Breaking Free Project Safe Room

Breaking Free provides education, prevention, and counseling services focused on drug and alcohol abuse, child abuse, family relationships, and mental health and wellness. The project safe room is part of one of the program’s run in the facility. Troubled women are required to complete this program in order to re-gain custody of their children after drug use, etc. The room they are currently in is dated and un-inspiring. We'll be holding a design charrette at the facility on January 23^rd to brainstorm and pick a design for the space. This is a perfect first outreach project as we intend to pick a winning design the day of the charrette as well as implement portions of the selected design through a couple of volunteer weekends (think painting, furniture arrangement, and more). Additional information outlining this event will be available soon on the chapter website.

DuPage Community Clinic

Another project will involve the DuPage Community Clinic, a fast growing free clinic that currently serves over 4,000 people with free health care. The clinic expects to care for 6,000 people by the end of next year. They are doing all of this work in a facility that once contained five individual apartments.  The space is old, dirty, compartmentalized, and un-sanitary. They seek our helping in looking to the future and thinking progressively to develop a plan of action. A charrette will be used to develop a design  that will provide them with some options. This is a large project that will be a great for those interested in health care.

To become involved in “One Room at a Time” contact the Emerging Professionals at ep@aianei.org. All members are encouraged to volunteer!