Shaw, Make It Right Foundation Turn School into Housing

Shaw Industries (Dalton, Ga.) donated carpeting and its Epic engineered hardwood flooring to the Make It Right Foundation's effort to turn an abandoned school in Kansas City, Mo., into 50 housing units. Shaw's green flooring contributed to the Bancroft School Apartments' LEED Platinum certification.

(Photo by Chad Jackson Photography)

"We're proud to continue our partnership with Make It Right, building upon our initial work together in New Orleans with this latest project in Kansas City," said Paul Murray, vice president of sustainability and environmental affairs at Shaw Industries, in a statement. "Make It Right's efforts to create affordable, high-performance, well-designed homes is not only in alignment with our focus on Cradle to Cradle in our manufacturing and flooring product design, but with our corporate vision to create a better future."

Built 109 years ago, the Bancroft school had been boarded up for more than 13 years. It now offers 50 affordable residences, an auditorium, gym, computer lab and gardens to people in need, including disabled veterans, youth transitioning out of foster care, senior citizens and low-income families.