Hope Renovations has earned widespread recognition for its efforts to help women and nonbinary community members earn training for jobs in the trades — but Thursday marked the nonprofit’s most high-profile visit to its headquarters.

Acting U.S. Labor Secretary Julie Su swung by Carrboro and stopped into Hope Renovations during a trip across North Carolina, allowing her to hear how the local organization is operating after receiving a $713,000 grant from the federal department last fall. Su met with several Hope staffers and graduates to learn more about the nonprofit’s mission and success in providing apprenticeships in construction and other trades. The visit included a brief panel discussion with graduates and employers to share how Hope’s efforts are making a local impact while setting a national example.

Su told Chapelboro she believes her department’s investment in Hope Renovation — and similar initiatives — is making “transformative” impacts for the U.S. workforce. The acting labor secretary added that while she’s impressed with the entire vision of Hope, her main takeaway was how effective the nonprofit has been for its graduates.

“When you draw from communities who have been left out for too long,” said Su, “and you recognize their power, their potential, their drive, their hunger and you give them [an] opportunity, people can do anything. We’re talking about women and women of color working in construction — something we’ve underutilized in this country for too long. And now the combination of the president’s vision [to] build infrastructure to this community-based organization demonstrating how it’s done is [exciting.]”

Nora Spencer, the founder and CEO of Hope Renovations, described the federal grant as a “game changer” for her nonprofit. With the goal of expanding Hope further, she said the grant allowed her team to partner with Durham Technical and Wake Technical community colleges to help draw more people into the training program. Additionally, the grant improves Hope’s ability to offer stipends and pay interns to those going through the training course — which helps address more barriers for some looking to participate.

Across Hope Renovations’ four-year history of training people, Spencer said the program has graduated 93 people and 88 percent have gone on to either be employed in the trades or continued their education for specific trades. The renovation team has helped complete around 230 projects during that time, most of which is improving housing for senior residents in the community.

Below are photos of Su’s visit to Hope Renovations on Thursday afternoon. Click on each to read the caption.

Acting U.S. Labor Secretary Julie Su arrives at Hope Renovations in Carrboro and shakes the hand of CEO and founder Nora Spencer on Thursday, May 16.
A group of Hope Renovation’s leadership team and graduates give Su a tour of the facility during the secretary’s visit to North Carolina.
A Hope Renovation graduate and employer speak with Su about their experiences working with the nonprofit.
A panel of Hope Renovation trainees, graduates, and employers sit with Nora Spencer, Acting Secretary Julie Su, and board member Carrie Sloan Norry for a panel discussion.
Su and Norry listen to Spencer during a panel discussion at Hope Renovations.
A mix of community leaders, Hope Renovation trainees, and staff listen to Thursday’s panel.

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