Cradles to Crayons is a national, Boston-based non-profit organization that provides essential items, such as clothing, school supplies, and more, to children living in homeless or low-income situations. After operating their first Chicago location in Logan Square for six years, they needed a new space to fulfill their mission of serving over 200,000 children a year.
Helios teamed with Lumen Workplace and Eckenhoff Saunders to transform a 23,000 SF raw warehouse into Cradle to Crayon’s new Giving Factory and office. We managed the construction of a new 5,000 SF office within the warehouse, as well as upgrading 15,000 SF of warehouse lighting, upgrading and expanding the warehouse bathrooms, painting throughout the office and warehouse, adding an entrance vestibule, install of new exterior metal panels, and exterior ADA ramp. The front of the office space includes a reception desk, donation drop-off, and check-in.
The offices are a bright, open collaboration area with adjacent conference rooms, a waiting room, a break room, a wellness room, and a storage room. Colorful environmental graphics expressing Cradle to Crayon’s mission are featured throughout the building. The warehouse acts as Cradle to Crayon’s Giving Factory, which consists of a volunteer training area and a large storage area where all the supplies are meticulously organized and shipped out by the many volunteers that visit their facilities every week.
