Digital Harbor Foundation won an Ikea makeover

Ikea came to the Digital Harbor Foundation’s Tech Center in Federal Hill last week to drop off some new furniture. When they left, the maker education-focused nonprofit had new storage for kids, and a spruced up space to plan how its efforts will spread beyond Baltimore.

The Digital Harbor Foundation won an Ikea makeover from the furniture company’s Baltimore store after coming out on top of an online vote earlier this year. Known as the Ikea Life Improvement Challenge, DHF ended up ahead of the Living Classrooms Foundation and the Boys and Girls Club of Metropolitan Baltimore.

Storage for students’ belongings. (Photo by Stephen Babcock)

On Thursday, Ikea reps began the process of building and installing new furniture at the Tech Center.

Storage for kids’ bags and other items is needed because of the growth of students participating in DHF programs. Executive Director Andrew Coy said participation in the Foundation’s programs has grown from 470 students to 2,500 in a year. 

In the new Center for Excellence conference room. (Photo by Stephen Babcock)

The conference room where the Foundation runs the Center of Excellence, which looks to provide technical assistance and training to other maker education programs around the country, also got a new conference table and storage.

Elsewhere, storage bins will provide a place to hold 3D-printed objects created by kids.

Bins for 3D-printed objects. (Photo by Stephen Babcock)

All told, Ikea spokesman Bill Meiswinkel said Ikea is donating about $7,000 worth of furniture.

“I think they’re going to get a lot of value out of it,” he said.