A Life of Service and a Commitment to Community
It’s hard to imagine Kim Givens having a moment to spare. A construction industry professional for 25 years, the past four and a half with Davie Construction, her experience, and skills as Senior Project Administrator result in exceptional communication and enthusiastic customer satisfaction. And while she gives her all to her job, somehow, she finds time to help others in many different ways. “Growing up, my best friend’s dad was a preacher and always kept us busy helping others less fortunate. Helping and giving my time has always brought me joy,” she said.
Kim enhances the impact of her volunteer work by compelling her employers to be more hands-on in supporting community organizations. At a previous company, she helped women who used their sewing skills to make baby blankets for the “Babies in Need” nonprofit expand their gifts with baby items provided by her employer and other companies. Since she joined Davie, she’s played an integral role in identifying worthy causes and rallying the team to donate their time and resources to a wide range of nonprofits.
She is an active member of the Davie Vision Volunteer Committee and has integrated some of the activities she was previously involved in into our giving-back program. She has been a Red Cross Blood Drive Leader for over 12 years and encourages employees to donate to the Semi-annual drives to help those needing blood transfusions or specific blood types.
Kim has helped coordinate many projects that benefit children’s programs across the Triad. She collects and distributes donations to Dragonfly House, a children’s advocacy center that provides services to abused children. “We are always seeking to fulfill children’s Christmas wish lists by working with various local organizations that make holiday special for kids in need,” she said. Kim actively participates in the “Orange you Smart” program, an extension of the Forsyth Backpack program, in which Davie Construction packs lunch bags with fruit and delivers them to the designated schools in Forsyth County. “Kristina Cole introduced this program to our committee, and we work with them every quarter,” said Kim.
An avid supporter of the “Toys for Tots” gift drive, which Davie has sponsored for almost a decade, Kim is among the volunteers who donate, buy, and distribute toys to local children and welcome community members to our annual Breakfast with Santa toy collection event.
“Feeding the homeless is an ongoing mission, and we are always happy to help with these projects,” said Kim, “Ron, one of our superintendents, loves cooking on his grill/smoker and will haul it anywhere to set up for Davie team members to help cook for those in need of a good meal.” Habitat for Humanity is another area where Kim is proud of our involvement. “When the Davie County Habitat Restore was opening, we helped by donating needed tools and equipment. We have also contributed with a hands-on Habitat Build Day,” she said.
Helping families enjoy reading is accomplished through the Library Box Build program, which has the active involvement of Project Superintendent Johnathan Smith. “He helps us build and place these boxes in different locations across the region, including our completed affordable housing multifamily communities. We also donate books to the free libraries,” said Kim.
“This year, disaster relief became an extensive project for the Davie team. We sent a large crew to Western NC to help clean up the hurricane damage and donate needed items. My daughter, also an employee, made many trips with her husband to help with this work. She and I held a big yard sale with clothes donated by our employees and made a significant cash donation since they were no longer accepting clothing at that time.”
Kim is very proud of her fellow Davie team members who recommend programs to support and take the initiative to spearhead their favorite projects. “I’m not the only one by a long shot, “she said, “Every day, someone at Davie is working to help others, including local animal shelters, schools, churches, sports groups, and any program that will benefit from charity, generosity, and hard work. It’s part of the Davie Difference, and I’m so grateful to work for a company that places giving back at the highest priority. I always look forward to helping new employees share the joy of serving others.”