Contractors form alliance to serve nonprofits

Jeff Wilmink, contractor with Century Mechanical Solutions, founded Mechanical Optimizers, because he says he recognized nonprofits would save money in the long-run if they were more aware of their maintenance and repair needs.
 
“They keep having all these emergency repairs, and I think a big part of it is no one’s giving them a plan on what they need to be doing,” Wilmink says.
 
So Century Mechanical Solutions teamed up with seven other local contracting agencies to form Mechanical Optimizers, which, according to the organization’s website, is an alliance that helps others assess, forecast and budget for both current and future needs.
 
“They’re kind of sitting there, and all of a sudden, the bomb drops,” Wilmink says. “And they didn’t even understand there was a bomb in the basement.”
 
Contractors provide nonprofits with free assessments by developing a report that details the most cost-efficient solutions, then assist the organization in finding potential donors so they can avoid emergency repairs, which are often more costly.
 
Mechanical Optimizers just launched at the beginning of September, and though Wilmink says he doesn’t know exactly where this is all going, he needs to be proactive.
 
“Being proactive—that’s the whole point,” Wilmink says. “I don’t know who I can help, but the eight of us work together on projects already, so we wanted to say, ‘Hey, OK, if you need help, we’re here to help get you to this stage.’” 

Do Good:

•    Contact Mechanical Optimizers if you’re a nonprofit that wants to be proactive about repairs and maintenance. 

•    Support local nonprofits by donating. 

•    Volunteer your time to help local nonprofits.