Pennsylvania HBA Gives the Gift of Learning to Local Community

The Home Builders Association of Chester and Delaware Counties created a series of Pop-Up Lending Library (PULL) stations throughout the Coatesville area in Pennsylvania to help provide literature for underserved children. The project was part of a larger campaign by Arts Holding Hands and Hearts (AHHAH), a Chester County-based charity with which the HBA collaborated, and was inspired by a similar project in New Jersey that caught the eye of Carrie Sullivan, marketing manager at Pohlig Homes. Sullivan and Francine Dague with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox and Roach REALTORS are co-chairs of the HBA's Sales & Marketing Council (SMC), which served as point on the project.

Eight initial PULL stations were built by members, including Nave Newell, Inc., Tague Lumber, Pohlig Homes, and HBA Executive Director Lauren Adams and her husband, Cameron. AHHAH helped connect the HBA with other participants, including a local Girl Scout who created the manual to put the PULL stations together and local artists to paint the assembled stations before installation.

"We let the artists choose the theme," Sullivan explained. "Everyone understood they'd be in schools and playgrounds, and had to be children-centric."

Three of the PULL stations were painted by the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District High School advanced arts program; one by Patty Stanish, wife of a local architect; and another by Deborah Ward, art teacher at West Bradford Elementary School.

In addition to their whimsical themes, the PULL stations each contained copies of The House That SHE Built to help jumpstart the library.

"It was a fun day of going to the various locations in Coatesville," Sullivan recalled. "It was pretty magical. Kids were asking what we were doing. It was neat that so many people were enjoying these on so many different levels."

"It was a great way to get out of COVID and get back into the practice of giving back," she added.

Adams noted that the project is ongoing, with plans still available on the HBA website. Visit builderpa.com to learn more.