#DRMPerspective

DRMP Delivers Hope on Two Wheels

July 25th, 2025

For many families served by the Howard Phillips Center for Children and Families, bicycles are a critical means of transportation. Parents rely on them to commute to work, children use them to get to school, and teens depend on them to reach their after-school jobs. Beyond practicality, bikes also provide kids and teens with a sense of freedom, independence, and the opportunity to explore.

Through its DRMPCares program, nearly 60 DRMP employees at the firm’s Orlando, Fla., headquarters volunteered for a charity bike build event benefiting the families supported by the Howard Phillips Center. Together, they assembled 50 brand-new bicycles for children, teens, and adults.

“Bikes are one of the most coveted things we can give to a child and the families we serve here,” said Marie Martinez, director of operations for The Howard Phillips Center for Children and Families. “Kids love them… They can ride around in the neighborhood, get some exercise and fresh air… ride their bikes to school… go to a job after school… engage in sports activities… There are just so many ways that bikes are really, really coveted by the families we serve who can’t otherwise afford them.”

The Howard Phillips Center supports children, teens, and their families through a wide range of services, including care for young children with developmental delays and special needs, as well as support for those who have experienced abuse or neglect through urgent medical exams, injury documentation, and forensic interviews. The center also provides long-term counseling and operates mobile healthcare units that bring critical medical services to schools, ensuring children and teens receive the care, protection, and support they need to thrive.

DRMP’s charity bike build wasn’t just about giving back. It also fostered connection and teambuilding among DRMP’s 300 Orlando-based employees. First launched in 2023, the bike build has become a biennial tradition centered on community service.

For DRMP Assistant Project Administrator Justin Fowler, PE, participating in the bike build was an opportunity to involve his family and teach his children about the importance of giving back.

“Participating in the bike build was a meaningful experience for our family,” Fowler said. “My wife and I believe in teaching our kids the value of service and giving back. With our older kids involved in BMX racing, this project was a perfect way for them to use their passion to help others. They had a blast building the bike and loved knowing it would bring joy to another child.”

Inspired by her mother’s lifelong dedication to supporting children, DRMP Environmental Scientist Celina Amaya felt a personal connection to the bike build.

“To be a part of this event really means a lot to me – to give back to the community and kids who need it most,” she said. “My mom was a public school teacher for 35 years and then a guardian ad litem for foster kids. So I’m acutely aware that all of these kids don’t get the same resources that many of us did as we were growing up. I think it means a lot to be a part of a company like DRMP that gives us opportunities to work together and give back to the community, too.”

DRMP Survey Technician Ryan Ianacone, CST II, said he participated because he feels it’s important to lead by example and do for others.

“I was more than happy to put four bikes together as I’m quite familiar with the process,” Ianacone said. “Having had many BMX bikes as a kid, and it providing my first taste of freedom growing up, I was more than happy to help another child have the same positive experience as I once did.”

Orlando Traffic Group Leader and Senior Project Manager Nick Devito, PE, saw the bike build as a natural extension of his work as an engineer.

"As an engineer, I solve transportation problems every day,” Devito said. “So, participating in the bike build meant helping solve one for kids who rely on these bikes to get to school or a sports activity. It felt good to give back.”