Project Merge, a non-profit, student-run organization that renovates homes and other local non-profit organizations around the Abilene community, will be partnering with Noah Project.
After having paused its operations for the last three years, the organization recently resumed and contacted different local groups that needed its services.
Project Merge will renovate a play therapy room and an office intake room for children attending Noah Project.
Noah Project offers shelter and support services to children, women and men who are victims of family violence, domestic violence and more. It also offers supplies to those who are in need and less fortunate.
The office will be used to fill out paperwork, while the play therapy room will be used to make children feel more comfortable and safe when being there.
Project Merge added new wall colors and ordered new furniture for the area and intends to make the room less crowded and more functional.
Started by students in the interior design department a couple of years ago, Project Merge continues to lend a helping hand to the Abilene community. It also allows students to take part in local outreach.
Marilyn Salazar, activity chair for the American Society of Interior Design and junior interior design major from Abilene, was recently introduced to Project Merge.
“With weekly meetings, many phone calls and hard work, we were able to make Project Merge a success,” Salazar said. “So far it has been going great and the best reward is seeing the people of the community’s reaction after it is all finished.”
Salazar said that serving as an officer for AISD has allowed her to become more involved.
Even though it is operated by interior design students with the help of professors, Project Merge is always looking for more volunteers – whether by donating supplies, lending a hand with labor or just by showing support for their movement.
For this project, they received labor, donations and supplies from places such as Grade A Electrical, Sherwin Williams and Alaniz Construction.
“In the future, we hope to get students and faculty involved towards the beginning and maybe do an even bigger project so more ACU students from campus can be involved,” Salazar said.
For more information on upcoming events that Project Merge will be a part of, visit their Facebook and Instagram.
