ReClaim the Route: Canstruction

As a part of an annual partnership with the Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon, GTECH and community partners work to activate one of the over 500 vacant lots along the marathon route. In 2015, GTECH partnered with FedEx Ground and Operation Better Block to activate and program a vacant lot along Frankstown Avenue.

On April 24, 2015, 50 employees of FedEx Ground worked with GTECH to build out a garden for Operation Better Block’s Junior Green Corp. The garden is adjacent to the lot that would be activated the day of the Marathon. The garden features built by FedEx Ground and GTECH will help support the Junior Green Corp’s programming on sustainability and environmental education.

To add to the festivities, Canstruction Pittsburgh and Whole Foods Market came out to the site on race day to build a one-of-a-kind structure made entirely of donated canned food (3,300 cans!) while thousands of marathoners pass by the site. 13 staff and volunteers spent nearly 6 hours building the 6 foot tall sculptures. All canned food used during the construction of the structure were donated back to the Salvation Army food pantry for distribution.