HOK New York staff volunteers at Maggie Walker School

As part of a corporate-wide volunteering initiative, the local office of HOK partnered with New York Cares to improve the Maggie Walker School located in the Crown Heights neighborhood. The HOK NY staff painted themed murals in and outside of the school. HOK's volunteer project acted as the "kick off" for the firm's relationship with the school. The indoor murals located in the 6th, 7th and 8th grade pods, were based on themes suggested for each grade by principal Kathleen Clarke Glover.  The 6th grade theme, "dream," included celestial patterns against bold images of historical dreamers, such as Martin Luther King, Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou. The 7th grade theme, "inspire," depicted a child in a field of flowers releasing birds to flight over the Brooklyn Bridge and New York City skyline. The 8th grade theme, "believe," featured creatively patterned dancers and athletes among lively trees. Outdoors, employees painted large maps of the world and the U.S. on the playground tarmac. The map murals are large enough for a child to stand inside a state or country for an interactive geography lesson. In addition to bringing murals to the Maggie Walker School, HOK New York participates in community outreach activities such as the ACE mentorship program, the Harlem Children's Society internship program, and has recently contributed pro-bono services to the Jericho Project, Asphalt Green and the Brooklyn Philharmonic. HOK is a global architectural firm that specializes in planning, design and delivery solutions for buildings and communities. Through its collaborative network of 26 offices worldwide, the firm serves diverse clients within the corporate, commercial, public and institutional markets. HOK is committed to developing resources and expertise to help lead the world toward sustainable communities and building environments. Founded in 1955, the firm's expertise includes architecture, engineering, interiors, plan­ning, lighting, graphics, facilities planning and assessment, and construction services. Each year, New York Cares brings vital volunteer support to more than 850 nonprofit agencies, public schools and other deserving organizations throughout the five boroughs. The staff works with each organization to identify their most pressing needs, create projects where volunteers can make a meaningful difference, and then recruit and deploy teams of volunteers to help meet those needs. The great majority of these projects typically would not exist if it weren't for New York Cares.