Building Stronger Communities Beyond Our Doors
At Shea Apartments, our definition of "community" extends well beyond our front doors. We believe that thriving neighborhoods start with strong local foundations — and nowhere is that more vital than in the schools where our youngest neighbors learn, play, and grow.
Every summer, our team trades property management keys, leasing handouts, and maintenance tools for paintbrushes, shovels, and power equipment during our flagship employee-driven charitable event: Shea It Forward.
During our 2026 Shea It Forward workday, team members from across our Southern California, Northern California, and Colorado regions joined forces with our generous local vendor-partners. Together, we rolled up our sleeves for an intensive, high-impact day of campus revitalization at three deserving partner schools.
From refurbished playground equipment and new asphalt paint to refreshed landscaping and back-to-school supplies, here is how our regional teams gave back this summer.
Southern California: Back-to-School Supply Drive at Newhope Elementary School
In Southern California, our regional operations, leasing, maintenance, and corporate teams partnered with educators and staff at Newhope Elementary School in Santa Ana to breathe fresh energy into their outdoor recreational and common areas.
Recognizing that outdoor play is essential for student physical health and social development, the SoCal team focused heavily on campus safety, color, and functional green space. For in-classroom and at-home learning, the complete list of school supplies was assembled into a backpack for each and every student — to be distributed on registration day.
Key Workday Projects Completed:
| Category / Area | Specific Task | Scope of Work & Details |
|---|---|---|
| School Supplies | Backpack Assembly & Donation | Donated 405 backpacks fully stocked with school supplies, hygiene items, and nametags |
| Care & Classroom Supplies | Supplemental Supply Donation | Donated $1,000 in diapers/wipes, 200 body washes, 200 compasses, and 8 tubs of misc. supplies |
| Sports & Athletics | Play Equipment Donation | Donated 4 soccer goals w/ 10 balls & cones, 6 tetherballs, 2 volleyball nets w/ 3 balls, and 8 basketball nets |
| Campus Beautification | Asphalt Painting | Painted upper and kinder asphalt areas, US map, 4-square, and sports areas (used 100 gallons of paint) |
| Campus Beautification | Playground & Hoop Painting | Repainted basketball hoops and touch-up painted upper playground equipment |
| Garden & Grounds | Planters & Irrigation Overhaul | Donated 2 new planters, overhauled 6 existing planters (soil, plants, signage), and repaired irrigation (Los Gatos) |
| Facilities & Storage | Clothing Pantry Shed | Installed a 10' x 10' shed for the clothing pantry |
| Facilities & Storage | Core Rules Signage | Donated and installed signage highlighting core rules |
| Indoor Learning Spaces | Classroom Shelving & Pantry Cart | Installed 60 shelves across 10 classrooms (H&F Painting) and donated a rolling cart for food pantry expansion |
Northern California: Inspiring Creativity and School Pride
Our Northern California team traveled to Parkmont Elementary in Fremont, directing their energy toward artistic campus enhancements and structural upgrades designed to foster creativity, collaboration, and learning outside the classroom.
Working side-by-side with trade vendor-partners, the NorCal team brought back to life playground asphalt, benches, and curbs and enhanced garden spaces with new seating and plantings. They also added a fence banner featuring the school's name and mascot to the perimeter facing drop-off and pick-up.
Key Workday Projects Completed:
| Category / Area | Specific Task | Scope of Work & Details |
|---|---|---|
| Paint Projects | Curbs & Striping | Paint curbs at front office & driveway (Yellow, Red & White) |
| Paint Projects | Wall Ball Wall | Sand and paint wall ball walls (2) Green |
| Paint Projects | Safety Area(s) | Paint benches, cement enclosures, and door swings Yellow |
| Paint Projects | Basketball Equipment | Paint basketball rims, poles, and backboards (Orange & White) |
| Garden & Grounds | Weeding | Remove growing weeds throughout campus garden areas |
| Garden & Grounds | Fence Pop Cups | Add cup décor to chainlink fence in garden area |
| Garden & Grounds | Mulch & Planting | Mulch distribution in garden area (possible new plants) |
| Garden & Grounds | Bench Construction | Build round benches for seating in garden |
| TK Area | Fence Pop Cups | Add cup décor to TK fence area |
| TK Area | Sandbox Construction | Build sandbox and add sand |
| Campus Clean-Up | Trash & Weeding | Trash pick up and weeding throughout campus |
| Campus Clean-Up | De-Webbing | De-webbing throughout campus buildings and walkways |
Colorado: Upgraded Grounds and Athletics
Under the bright summer sky in the Denver metro area, our Colorado team teamed up with faculty at Ellis Elementary School to execute essential groundskeeping, organization, refurbishment, and cleaning. The Colorado workday centered on providing students with clean, safe, and modernized facilities for sports, physical education, and outdoor gatherings.
Key Workday Projects Completed:
| Category / Area | Specific Task | Scope of Work & Details |
|---|---|---|
| Indoor Learning Spaces | Library Organization | Organized book collections, shelves, and reading spaces |
| Indoor Learning Spaces | Classroom & Theater Cleaning | Deep cleaned classrooms, auditorium, and theater facilities |
| Student Pick-Up Zone | Table & Bench Painting | Painted outdoor tables and benches at student pick-up area |
| Playground Area | Pole Painting | Repainted support poles and playground fixtures |
| Garden & Grounds | Weeding | Removed invasive weeds throughout garden beds |
| Garden & Grounds | Mulch Spreading | Spread donated mulch across garden areas and pathways |
Gratitude to Our Team Members & Vendor-Partners
The impactful work accomplished during Shea It Forward 2026 would not be possible without the generous contributions of our Shea It Forward leadership team members, onsite and corporate associates, and valued vendor-partners. From donating trade services, heavy equipment, paint, and landscaping supplies, our partners share our deep commitment to local community stewardship.
2026 Donors: (Southern California) APS Lighting, Blu Sky, Breeze Supply, C3, Denault, DLE, DTS Towing, HD Supply, Hugo, JB Painting, JL Ray, Landsystems, Los Gatos, Maintex, McKeon Pest Control, Outdoor Dimensions, Pulsar, RMC Restoration, Sherwin Williams, Strategic Solutions, Upland Security Group; (Northern California) Petal, Higgins,Sanchez and Sons, TRE; (Colorado) Colorado Total Maintenance (CTM), First Point, Lyons, Perfect Clean, Sherwin Williams, Village Asphalt.
By investing in local schools across Southern California, Northern California, and Colorado, we aim to build brighter, safer, and more inspiring spaces where students can thrive for years to come.
Interested in Learning More About Living With Shea?
Explore our apartment communities in Northern California, Southern California, and Colorado.