06.03.15

San Diego CC First Room Makeover for Cecily’s Closet

I had the lucky opportunity to fall in the Community Outreach position at the perfect time. As San Diego City Center was launching their new partnership with Cecily’s Closet, I was able to take the lead as project manager to coordinate a unique experience for our students and members. Partnering with Student Affair, Erin Bilz, who is also a Sr. Designer at Delawie.

Cecily’s Closet is a non profit organization that partners with local corporations, non-profits, government agencies and health professionals and local designers to help lend a hand to families of children with special needs. One of many charitable events they provide are room makeovers for children that need a healing and welcoming environment. We were able to pull a team of students to create a charrette for our special child, Dylan. Dylan, now four, was born blue with Hemolytic anemia, (triggered by the E antigen) a condition in which red blood cells are destroyed and removed from the bloodstream before their normal lifespan is over. Dylan underwent three blood transfusions and Mom and Dad and big sister were told he was A-ok! Fast-forward seven months and Dylan was receiving 9 therapies a week to ensure he achieved his developmental milestones. With love, support, and a lot of interventional therapies, Dylan works hard every day to surpass the goals set by his teachers and therapists! Despite an early diagnosis of Hypotonic Cerebral Palsy, Dylan began walking by age two and he has not stopped trucking despite a moderate intellectual disability and Autism diagnosis. Our team or students designed a wonderful space which was pulled together by design Erin (Delawie), and executed with student and member volunteers.

We had an overwhelming commitment of student volunteers for our charrette and members to volunteer the day of. With the beautiful designs, Cecily’s Closet was able to provide us with Muralist Emily Dolton who executed the most beautiful space with designs of firetrucks and construction vehicles that Dylan so loved. Each volunteer put so much love and effort into each part of the event and it was all worth it to see Dylan’s face light up during the reveal. On top of the unveiling, Cecily’s Closet and IIDA were able to set up an exciting surprise from Fire Station 32 to stop by with their fire truck.

Jangmee Hooper, IIDA, LEED AP
Kwalu Healthcare