Digi-Bridge, Rebuilding Together of Greater Charlotte and She Built This City Find New Home at Innovation Alley
On Nov. 12, doors open at Innovation Alley, a dedicated programming space funded by Lowe’s Foundation to be shared by Charlotte nonprofits Digi-Bridge, Rebuilding Together of Greater Charlotte, and She Built This City.
The space located at Hygge Coworking’s Jay Street location provides a shared workshop, classroom, and inventory space for three organizations working to provide STEAM education, construction career training, and critical home repairs to the community. Additionally, the space contains interior and exterior public art, a tool wall, 3D printing lab, activation space and a state of the art virtual studio provided by Generation T.
Innovation Alley will allow the three organizations to fulfill elements of their respective missions and also provide opportunities for collaboration such as 3D printing classes for construction students, job training and apprenticeships for women in trade fields and multifaceted volunteer opportunities. The three organizations are all funded by Lowe’s and will continue to innovate to find ways to bring community together.
“Innovation Alley is providing Digi-Bridge with much-needed dedicated programming space and an opportunity to collaborate with two other innovative organizations where construction, art, and tech overlap,” said Digi-Bridge CEO Alyssa Sharpe.
“We can already hear the sound of saws, drills and sanders in the hands of girls and non-binary individuals from diverse backgrounds, eagerly innovating solutions for their families and the community as a whole,” said LaToya Faustin, Chief Operating Officer of She Built This City. “We believe our impact will be exponential with this very generous donation from the Lowe’s Foundation. Not only will we see “sparks ignited” here in the greater Charlotte Region, but we will also see that impact go beyond our borders as this becomes the recording space for our Virtual Shop Class in partnership with Generation T.”
Beth Morrison, Executive Director of Rebuilding Together of Greater Charlotte, is also excited about the new space.
“We are thrilled to see our shared vision for Innovation Alley come to life through this nonprofit collaboration and the generosity of Lowe’s Foundation. This space will support our volunteer training and building projects to bring deeper impact to the neighborhoods we serve through our critical home repair programs and community partnerships,” said Morrison.
Innovation Alley opens just weeks after Lowe’s Home Improvement announced its $9.25 million investment into the greater Charlotte community.
About Digi-Bridge
Based in Charlotte, N.C., Digi-Bridge aims to equip shareholders with the means to foster optimal use of technology in the learning environment, ensuring that all 21st century learners have opportunities to succeed in the digital age.
About She Built This City
She Built This City empowers women of all ages in the construction trade through elementary Explorer Girls programs; Builder Girls middle school clubs; Women@Work Trade Circle mentoring, advanced training, job placement & Allyship programs. Our mission: 50/50 by 2030 through a combination of “hammer & drill skills” + “future proof” 2030 skills of 3D printing & drone technologies.
About Rebuilding Together of Greater Charlotte
Rebuilding Together of Greater Charlotte’s mission is repairing homes, revitalizing communities, rebuilding lives. We mobilize community volunteers and contractors to provide repairs that make homes safer and healthier for our neighbors in need.
