WISEPlace is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to helping to end homelessness among women. For more than 95 years, WISEPlace has provided safe, affordable transitional housing, healthy meals, financial-empowerment curriculum and employment assistance, to help women move from homelessness and hopelessness to self-reliance.

The project, “Transformation: Turning Space into Place,” invited industry leaders within architec-ture and design along with a contract partner, to participate in an interior design competition to renovate and create a more livable community room for the women of WISEPlace. The goal of the project was to design both a beautiful and functional community haven for the women who reside there, as well as create an event venue for the local community to help further encourage sustainable funding for the nonprofit. Out of six firms who competed, RDC and CDG Builders were chosen for their winning design concept that was unveiled today as part of the grand open-ing. Pivot Interiors and Herman Miller oversaw the design competition and outfitted the entirety of the community room’s interior and furniture needs.

“The transformation of our meeting room has indeed brought new life and energy to our entire agency,” said Kathleen Davis Bowman, Executive Director of WISEPlace. “For many years, we have concentrated only on the programming for our homeless residents and spent virtually no resources dedicated to our space. For Retail Design Collaborative, Herman Miller and Pivot In-teriors to provide the much-needed renovation is amazing. It has now set the tone for everything we do. Just as our residents need a self-esteem and dignity boost, WISEPlace needed one as well. By improving WISEPlace, they have also empowered the women who come here to trans-form their lives. We cannot thank all who were involved in this transformation enough.”

In addition to hosting an opening event held on June 30 to mark the official grand opening of the space, WISEPlace is also operating an active GoFundMe campaign to encourage donations from any and all who would like to help make a difference. The fund was established during the recent removal of “Tent City” off of the Santa Ana River Bed which displaced hundreds of wom-en in the community. These women needed a safe place to live until they found permanent housing. WISEPlace stepped in and transformed their gym into an emergency shelter for these women. The GoFundMe account supports the needs for furnishings and other supplies. To learn more, visit www.gofundme.com/wiseplace.