Building a Better World One Brick at a Time

(CBS 5) On a crisp autumn morning, a team of gardeners is working hard at Rhododendron Island in Golden Gate Park. But look closely, and you'll see not one is a professional gardener. Not one is paid to be here. These diligent workers spend their weekdays at jobs with investment firms, contractors, and technology companies.

The man who brought them here on a Sunday is an e-commerce product manager himself: Dave Shefferman, a Silicon Valley survivor who crafted a silver lining from the dark cloud that rolled in over the tech industry several years ago.

"I had gotten laid off for the company I was working for back in 2001 and was looking for things to do during the day that would take up some time and just make you feel a little bit better about how things were going," Dave says.

A lot of Dave's friends were in the same boat, so, using his living room computer, he started organizing them into teams to help people in need.

"The goal was really to get people involved in volunteering and make it easy and accessible and fun to come out and volunteer," he explains.

Dave named his volunteer force "One Brick" and in the five years since, they've contributed over 55-thousand hours to over 180 worthy causes throughout the Bay Area.

Participants lend a hand stocking the food bank, sorting school supplies, restoring wildlife habitats, sheltering rescued animals, and staffing events for families in need. Projects are posted online, they normally take no more than four hours, and require only the push of a button to rsvp. The variety and flexibility attracted volunteer Doug Hoff.

"A lot of organizations want you to commit once you start or you feel like you want to be there very week and you can't," Doug says. "One Brick doesn't have any of those rules and regulations. You pick and choose. You may be gone a few months and then you come back -- it gives you that kind of flexibility."

For this project in Golden Gate Park, tools and equipment are supplied by the city. Expertise is provided by long-time city gardener Jerry Colombana.

"When they get in a group like this, it's just amazing what they can do," says Jerry, gesturing at the tidy garden before him. "It was like a bramble bush. You could not go though. It was a mess, really a mess. Now it's like a paradise."

Parks and Rec volunteer director Kristen Bowman says with only 48 gardeners on staff to cover 1000 acres, groups like One Brick can make a big difference.

She says, "It's just been so easy. I'm mesmerized by their impact, by their efficiency, by their good will and Dave, Dave is all behind it!"

The social aspect of One Brick attracts a lot of volunteers.

"We've had thousands of friendships," says Dave. "We've had people dating. We had a One Brick wedding recently. It's been fantastic!"

Dave, by the way, once again has a full time job. He relies on volunteers to help run the website. And the One Brick network has just expanded to New York, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. -- an army of 25-thousand volunteers.

"We have the goal of launching a new city every year and bringing this nationally and making this really, really huge," Dave adds.

So for building a network of those willing to serve and matching them with those waiting in need, this week's Jefferson Award in the Bay Area goes to Dave Shefferman.

By Kate Kelly

www.onebrick.org

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