No team models our “Community” core value quite like the Biosolids Digester Facilities Project (BDFP), an MWH/Webcor joint venture for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC).

• For starters, community is uniquely inherent in BDFP’s purpose: to modernize San Francisco’s aging Southeast Treatment Plant (odor reduction, seismic improvements, sustainability benefits, etc.) while hiring the local residents and businesses most heavily impacted by the project.

Over the last four years, the team behind BDFP’s Neighborhood Hiring Program, a grassroots initiative dedicated to hiring within BDFP’s Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood, has spearheaded community initiatives ranging from local volunteer projects to targeted outreach events.

This summer, Safety Manager Kendall Cantave represented the MWH/Webcor JV at two such events: Carnaval San Francisco (SF) and the Fillmore’s Juneteenth celebration.

Why It Matters: Representation at these events has a tremendous impact on Webcor’s reputation within the communities in which we build. At MWH/Webcor’s informational booth, Kendall amplified the key ways BDFP is serving the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood while connecting with local residents.

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Conversation topics included:

• BDFP’s Neighborhood Hiring Program,
• strategic partnerships with community-based organizations (CBOs) dedicated to equipping residents with essential job-search resources,
• community volunteer efforts, and
• ways the modernized treatment plant will benefit residents for generations to come.

“In the public’s eyes, our booth indicates a huge sign of support for their community,” Kendall says. “We hand out plenty of BDFP swag items and get significant foot traffic. Community members ask about what we do, represent, and opportunities we provide.

• “Our vibrant enthusiasm always sticks with booth visitors and helps them remember the Webcor brand. Folks will see us in the future and recognize Webcor as one of the best places to work.
• “Thank you to Project Director Rowena Domingo and Sr. Construction Manager Ryan Fischer for all their support and inspiring us to keep fighting the good fight and make a difference in the community where we work. It’s always a total team effort at BDFP.”

Webcor’s Unique Differentiator: It’s rare to see general contractors at these community-centered events, Kendall says. Webcor typically stands out not only for its thoughtfully curated booth, but for being a large construction company engaging with the community in such a genuine way.

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• “It’s powerful when attendees associate us with a local event that brings them so much joy,” Kendall says. “They always want to learn more about our community initiatives, CBO partnerships, and hiring opportunities.”
• “In particular, our booth attracts parents seeking construction career opportunities for their kids, as well as information on the industry overall and Webcor’s contributions through past, current, and future projects.”

Carnaval SF – Mission DistrictKnown as the largest multicultural festival on the West Coast, Carnaval SF celebrates San Francisco’s Latino, Caribbean, and African Diasporic traditions in the city’s famous Mission District. BDFP has been a proud sponsor of the beloved annual event for the last two years, Kendall says.“Carnaval SF is a true form of unity for people of all shades,” he says. “The event is full of energy; people showcase their heritage through food, cultural attire, art, music, and dancing. It’s a great opportunity for people of all races to gather together and learn from one another.”

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Juneteenth – Fillmore District

San Francisco’s Fillmore District has been honoring Juneteenth since June 19, 1945, when Wesley Johnson Sr., a Black entrepreneur, hosted the city’s first Juneteenth celebration at the Texas Playhouse on Fillmore Street.

• The Fillmore’s Juneteenth festivities continued for decades, eventually evolving into the largest gathering of African-Americans in Northern California, Kendall says.

At this year’s Juneteenth, Kendall and Sr. Director, Employee Experience Tim Wortham were approached by a festival attendee who recognized Webcor from his community activist days during the 1970s and 1980s.

• “He praised Webcor for giving the Fillmore’s African-American community job opportunities during the ‘70s, ‘80s, and early ‘90s—a period when many community activists had to fight for equal employment opportunities,” Kendall says. “As a member of one such activist organization, he said he remembered Webcor being one of the few big contractors that did not discriminate, gave them fair employment opportunities, and respected them as humans. Tim and I shared a lengthy, powerful conversation with him.”

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The discussion further fueled Kendall’s commitment to holding Webcor to high DEI and community engagement standards and pride in BDFP’s indelible influence on Webcor’s company culture. He knows that BDFP doesn’t just tout these values on paper; they’re evident throughout the project site, where Bayview-Hunters Point residents are transforming their neighborhood while gaining valuable work experience and providing for their families.

“For years, BDFP has showed up to support not only the African-American community, but all communities,” Kendall says. “Juneteenth is an important reminder of the work we still have to do:

• “It symbolizes a chapter in America’s history of the struggle, challenges, and injustice that African-Americans have faced in this nation.
• “It’s a time to rejoice the beginning of change while acknowledging all the work yet to be done to overcome generations of oppression.
• “It is a time for African-Americans to unite and uplift one another while combatting the barriers that still exist to create a more prosperous future.

“Corporate America has a social responsibility to acknowledge the past, show support for our African-American workers, and cultivate a brighter future for them. I’m thankful that Webcor’s taking steps to embrace exactly that.”

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